A petition completed its first step Wednesday – a movement to allow students to vote on their university governing boards. This means students are one step closer to reaching the November 2014 ballot.
St. Louis Attorney, Brad Ketcher, filed the petition. He said students should have a vote.
“I think it’s very important that students have a full voice on those boards,” Ketcher said. “Students are spending more and more of their resources on tuition and fees, and a lot of times having to take out student loans for those sorts of obligations.”
Currently, students who sit on the governing board are allowed to participate in meetings without the right to vote.
Spokesperson Kevin Flannery of the Secretary of State’s office said there are some preliminary measures that need to happen.
"Before any statutory changes can be brought before Missouri voters in the November 2014 election, signatures must be obtained from registered voters equal to 5 percent of the total votes cast in the 2012 governor's election from six of the state's eight congressional districts," Flannery said.
This means the petition must gather around 100,000 signatures to move forward.
Ketcher said the petition has an advantage with this task.
"You have schools all over the state with substantial student bodies, many of those students are registered voters,” Ketcher said.
Kander’s office said it wants all signatures by May 4, 2014. If the petition reaches this goal it will be on its way to being placed on the November 2014 ballot.