MO SJR116

Submits a constitutional amendment to Missouri voters in November 2026 to replace the current merit-based judicial selection system (Missouri Plan) with nonpartisan elections for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges

Reduces terms for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges from 12 years to 6 years, and imposes a two consecutive term limit for these positions

Establishes the chief justice of the Supreme Court as a separately elected statewide position, with two Supreme Court judges elected from each of the three appellate districts

Requires candidates to qualify for the ballot through either a nominating petition signed by 100 district voters or nomination by the Appellate Judicial Commission; top two primary vote-getters advance to the general election

Maintains the existing nonpartisan commission-based appointment system for circuit and associate circuit judges in St. Louis City and Jackson County, while allowing judicial candidates to declare party support and conduct campaigns under the same contribution limits as gubernatorial races