ST. LOUIS (AP) - Strong support in urban areas of a state constitutional amendment protecting stem cell research offset widespread opposition in rural counties as the measure narrowly passed with just over 51 percent of the vote.
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(Photo: AP / Bill Boyce)Dave Powell watches early election returns at the headquarters of the Missourians against Human Cloning, a group opposed to a constitutional amendment to protect stem cell research, in St. Louis, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006. The amendment, also known as the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, would guarantee that any federally allowed stem cell research and treatments could occur in Missouri, including embryonic stem cell research.
Preliminary results showed the amendment winning support from 51.1 percent of the electorate with 98 percent of precincts reporting, a margin of about 46,800 votes.
While majorities of voters in 90 of the state's 114 counties rejected the measure, 13 counties and the city of St. Louis had enough votes to push the amendment over the top.
Heavy support in St. Louis, Kansas City and those two cities' suburbs proved critical to the ballot measure's success.
In the city of St. Louis, amendment supporters outnumbered opponents by about 31,000. In St. Louis County, the margin of victory was 55,000.
And in Jackson County, which encompasses much of Kansas City, the margin of victory nearly reached 48,000, with 99.2 percent of precincts reporting results.
In St. Louis, stem cell supporters in the black community mobilized 10 vans and a recreational vehicle to transport voters to the polls and encourage residents to vote, organizers said.
"Stem cell research is important to the state of Missouri as a whole, but in particular to the African-American community," said the Rev. B.T. Rice, pastor of New Horizons Christian Church in St. Louis.
Rice noted that illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease - two of the many ailments supporters suggest might benefit from the still-experimental research technique - disproportionately affect blacks.
The amendment, known as the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, guarantees that any federally allowed stem cell research and treatments can occur in Missouri, including research using human embryos.
Its significance is largely symbolic: Embryonic stem cell research is already occurring in Missouri, although on a limited basis. Supporters cited several unsuccessful attempts by some state lawmakers to criminalize the procedure as impetus for the measure.
And while jubilant supporters celebrated their victory early Wednesday at a Washington University conference center in St. Louis, they also predicted that the statewide vote won't be the last word on the disputed research technique.
"Now we will have different battles to fight in the Legislature," said Donn Rubin, chairman of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, a group of university and business leaders, scientists and patient advocates who supported the amendment.
Jaci Winship, executive director of Missourians Against Human Cloning, said early Wednesday that the group was still assessing its options. Shortly after 1 a.m. CST, amendment opponents announced they would reconvene later Wednesday morning after more vote totals become known.
The ballot measure was the only one nationally in Tuesday's election to directly address the disputed research technique. The victory in Missouri could have implications far beyond the Show-Me State.
Stem cell supporters in Florida, Georgia and Kentucky were gearing up for similar ballot measures in the 2008 elections, depending upon the outcome in Missouri. Elsewhere, stem cell research emerged as a contentious campaign topic in the Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Maryland and Connecticut gubernatorial races. Continue >>
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