Clay County voters will decide in less than a month whether to amend the county’s constitution, considering a package of changes that addresses election procedures, benefits for county commissioners, salary formulas for certain elected offices, appointments and other county responsibilities.

The amendments will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, ballot as a single yes-or-no question: “Shall Clay County adopt the proposed amendments to the Clay County Constitution?”

Because the proposal combines the amendments into one ballot measure, voters will not cast separate votes on the individual changes. A yes vote would adopt the amendments as a package, while a no vote would leave the current constitution in place.

County information about the proposal includes a frequently asked questions document and a side-by-side comparison of the existing and proposed language. The materials outline what would change and what would remain the same, allowing residents to review the full proposal before Election Day.

The 2026 review was required under the existing county constitution, which calls for a Constitution Review Commission to be appointed this year. The commission is directed to consider possible amendments and submit proposed changes to voters.

The first review was scheduled five years after the constitution was changed in 2021. Another review is set for five years after 2026; after that, the review cycle is scheduled to shift from every five years to every 10 years.

Proposed changes can be found on the county’s website at ClayCountyMO.gov/constitution.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.