Kip Kendrick, Presiding Commissioner

Justin Aldred, District I Commissioner

Janet Thompson, District II Commissioner

Roger B. Wilson

Boone County Government Center

801 E. Walnut St., Rm 333

Columbia, MO 65201-7732

(573) 886-4305 (573) 886-4311

Boone County Commission News Release

Boone County Sheriff’s Office Answers Prop L Ballot Language Frequently Asked Question

COLUMBIA, Mo. (October 19, 2026) - As Boone County voters prepare for the beginning of no-excuse absentee voting on October 20, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office is addressing a frequently asked question about the Prop L ballot language:

Why does the Prop L ballot language not include the word “jail”?

The statute that authorizes the County to propose this sales tax, RSMo Sec. 67.582, contains mandatory ballot language. That statute says the ballot “shall contain substantially the following: Shall the County of __________ impose a sales tax of ___________ for the purpose of providing law enforcement services for the County?”

The Boone County ballot language mirrors this mandatory language from the authorization statute and adds a 15-year sunset. Other than the addition of the 15-year sunset, the statute limits the addition of other language that may influence the outcome of the election.

A core function of county government is the operation of a jail as a law enforcement service. The proceeds from the sales tax, if approved, will be legally restricted so they can only be spent on law enforcement services. The Sheriff, as the chief law enforcement officer of Boone County, has made clear that a new, modern jail is essential to solve the current detainee housing crisis.

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