REPORT ON MISSOURI Missouri has had four constitutions: 1820, prior to statehood; 1865 and 1875, in the aftermath of Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by a majority of thelegislature or by petition signed by 8% of the voters in two-thirds of the state's congressionaldistricts. Proposed amendments must be approved by a majority of the voters in a statewideelection. A constitutional convention must be called every 20 years to review the constitution forpossible changes. The Missouri general assembly is composed of the senate of 34 members, halfof whom are elected every 2 years for 4-year terms, and the house of representatives, with 163members, all of whom are elected every 2 years. The general assembly meets annually. Thegovernor is elected for 4 years and may succeed himself once.The chief judicial officers are the 7 supreme court judges. The Missouri Plan for selecting judges,adopted in 1945, has become a nationwide model for the nonpartisan assignment of judges. Eachof Missouri's 114 counties is governed by a 3-member elected county commission. St. Louisfunctions as an independent city with county status.Both the Democratic and Republican parties have considerable electoral strength in Missouri, butsince World War II the Democrats, strongest in the cities and the Bootheel, have more oftencontrolled the legislature. Elected state offices and Missouri's representation in the U.S. Congresshave been rather equally divided between the two parties.Missouri's Democrats tend to have a more conservative political philosophy than Democratsnationally. Republicans retain strength in suburban regions and in the southwestern part of thestate.STATE SYMBOLSThe state flower is the Hawthorn. The state bird is the Eastern Bluebird. And the state tree is the Dogwood.Government ConfigurationMissouri has had four constitutions: 1820, prior to statehood; 1865 and 1875, in the aftermath ofthe Civil War; and 19...
