A lawsuit concerning the certification process of a sports betting initiative in Missouri could threaten the November vote. Political consultants Jacqueline Wood and Blake Lawrence have filed a lawsuit against Missouri Secretary of State John Ashcroft in Cole County Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs claim that Ashcroft incorrectly calculated the number of valid signatures needed on the petition and that the campaign did not meet the signature threshold in all required Missouri counties. If Judge Cotton Walker rules in favor of the plaintiffs, the initiative will not appear on the November ballot.
The Missouri Education Victory Alliance submitted over 340,000 signatures, hoping to include the sports betting issue in the state's November election. The St. Louis Blues, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis City SC, and the Kansas City Star all support the initiative.
