A Lawsuit Claims That Winning For Missouri Education Improperly Obtained Signatures

For several months, Winning For Missouri Education collected over 300,000 signatures in support of sports betting being on the November ballot. Last week, a lawsuit was filed against Winning For Missouri Education. Claiming that the signatures they collected were done improperly. However, supporters of the sports betting referendum have denied the accusations of the lawsuit. Two Missouri residents filed the initial suit arguing that signatures were “improperly tabulated.” However, Winning For Missouri Education noted that the counting of the signatures was conducted under Missouri law. Additionally, one of the plaintiffs in this case did not have a legal standing to sue. That individual is Jacqueline Wood. She did not have standing to sue because Ms. Wood did not sign the initial petition that was on the sports betting ballot.

What would happen if these plaintiffs win the case?

The main reason the two residents filed a lawsuit against Winning For Missouri Education is that they do not want sports betting on the November ballot. If they are successful, supporters of sports betting legalization will have no choice but to wait. The next ballot would be in 2026 if sports betting doesn’t make the November 2024 ballot. In the past, lawmakers have tried to get it legalized through legislature but that hasn’t worked out. They plan to get sports betting on the ballot this fall in front of voters. That is the most effective way to try and legalize sports betting in the Show Me State. If sports betting is passed this fall, Missouri would become the 39th jurisdiction to have it legalized. This would make Missouri the first state to legalize sports betting in 2024. DraftKings and FanDuel are two sportsbooks that have contributed roughly $10 million to winning for Missouri Education. They’re willing to help out the process to get sports betting in Missouri headed in the right direction. The next court hearing for this case is on September 5, with absentee ballots set to go out on September 24. Election Day is November 5. Will Winning For Missouri Education see all their hard work put to an end by a lawsuit claiming their signatures were claimed falsely?