What you're actually voting on

A paper-first guide to the August ballot: the exact questions, the practical effect, the strongest case on each side, and the sources used.

Independent voter guide · not an official ballot or county publication

Choose your ballot before you reach the table

Missouri has an open primary. You may choose any party ballot regardless of the optional party affiliation in your voter record, or request a nonpartisan issues ballot.

Plain English: This renews an existing one-tenth-of-one-percent sales/use tax. It is not a new tax. It supports state parks and soil-and-water conservation; if it fails, the tax expires in 2028.

Context: Amendment 1 is an automatic constitutional resubmission, not a legislative referral. The constitution returns it to voters every ten years.

Plain English: This does not change Butler County, where the assessor is already elected. It principally changes Jackson County, the only Missouri county that appoints its assessor.

What changes

A citizen-proposed constitutional amendment currently passes with a simple statewide majority. Amendment 4 would also require a majority in each of Missouri's eight congressional districts. Losing one district would defeat the measure even if it won statewide.

Questions to ask yourself

• Does broader geographic consent justify allowing one congressional district to override a statewide majority?
• Should the higher standard apply only to citizen petitions and not to legislative referrals?

Three mechanics to understand

1. The legislature must reduce the individual income tax as revenue grows, with the stated end point of elimination.
2. After elimination, the constitution would prohibit Missouri from imposing a state individual income tax again.
3. The legislature may expand sales and use taxes to additional goods and services while current constitutional limits are loosened.

Income-tax savings and sales-tax costs will not land evenly

The amendment does not establish a future sales-tax rate or define which additional services would be taxed. Household effects depend on later legislation, taxable income and spending patterns.

Campaign money reported by mid-July

These are time-stamped campaign-finance figures, not permanent totals. Later filings may change them. Both sides are funded by organizations with policy interests.

Questions to ask yourself

• What taxable income do I currently have, and what would I actually save as the rate declines?
• How much do I spend on services that are not currently subject to sales tax?
• Am I comfortable authorizing a tax transition before the implementing rates and taxable services exist?
• How do I weigh the economic-development argument against the distribution of costs among households?
• Am I comfortable with the prohibition on restoring an individual state income tax after elimination?

Raises the operating levy from $2.7500 to $3.4300 per $100 of assessed valuation: a $0.68 increase, about 25%. The stated purposes are staff attraction and retention plus general operating expenses. It applies for tax year 2026 and each year thereafter, with no sunset.

Formula: appraised value × assessment ratio ÷ 100 × $0.68. Agricultural land may use productive-use value rather than ordinary market value; use the value on the assessor's notice.

Contested Republican races

Ballot styles in the 152nd District contain four contested races; the 150th District has three because its state-representative candidate is unopposed.

Unopposed in the Republican primary

Vince Lampe, presiding commissioner · Holly Lawson, circuit clerk · Donna Hillis, county clerk · Ted Liszewski, prosecuting attorney · Emily Parks, collector · Tammy Marler, treasurer · Kacey L. Proctor, circuit judge · Wade Pierce and John H. Shock, associate circuit judges. Some precincts have Cameron Bunting Parker, 150th District state representative. Independent and write-in deadlines mean these should not be described as guaranteed general-election winners.

Before Tuesday

Take this page with you

• Choose your ballot before arriving.
• Confirm your polling place.
• Bring Missouri-accepted photo identification.
• If the East Carter levy appears, ask the district what happens if it fails and how proceeds would be used.
• If you are in the 152nd District, ask locally about Shawan and Davis.
• Ask locally about Larmie and Gowen, the recorder candidates.
• Remember: Amendment 5 contains no implementing sales-tax rate or final list of taxable services.

Other primary ballots

Democratic: State Auditor—Quentin Wilson, Gregory Upchurch. U.S. House—Chris Reichard, Frank A. Barnitz. State Rep. 152nd—Corretta Bishop, unopposed.

Libertarian: State Auditor—Dustin Coffell. U.S. House—Rebecca Sharpe Lombard.

Scan for the full guide and clickable sources.
butlerballotguide.com
Butler County Clerk: 573-686-8050

This guide argues for no candidate or measure. It was compiled with AI assistance and manually checked against the official ballot, legislative text, statutes, tax guidance, Census data and campaign-finance records above. Reporting and policy analysis are labeled separately. Last substantive fact-check: July 26, 2026.