JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Supporters of raising Missouri's minimum wage and limiting payday loans have submitted petitions to get the measures on the November ballot. 

The minimum wage proposal would boost Missouri's minimum pay to $8.25 an hour starting 2013, with an annual cost-of living adjustment in subsequent years. Missouri currently follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Under the payday loan proposal, annual rates on short-term loans would be capped at 36 percent. That would include interest, fees and finance charges.

Backers of the measures say they submitted about 180,000 signatures to the secretary of state's office for the payday loan measure and 175,000 for the petition on minimum wage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Here is the original press release:

Secretary of State’s Office Receives Signatures for Four Petitions by Deadline

Jefferson City, MO – Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced signatures were submitted for four petitions by the 5:00 p.m. deadline on Sunday, May 6, 2012.

These petitions will now be organized and reviewed by the secretary of state's office and then sent on to the local election authorities in counties and cities across the state so signatures can be verified against their voter registration records. Petitions that meet the legal criteria will be certified as sufficient by 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2012.

Signatures for the following petitions were submitted for verification:

·         Statutory Amendment to RSMo Chapters 84, 86 and 105, Relating to Municipal Police Force: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012petitions/12init_pet.asp#2012088 

·         A Statutory Amendment to RSMo Chapters 149 and 196, Relating to Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product:  http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012petitions/12init_pet.asp#2012134 

·         A Statutory Amendment to RSMo Chapters 367 and 408, Relating to Payday, Title, Installment, and Consumer Credit Loans: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012petitions/12init_pet.asp#2012066 

·         Statutory Amendment to RSMo Chapter 290, Relating to Minimum Wage: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012petitions/12init_pet.asp#2012084 

For a petition seeking to change Missouri statute, valid signatures from registered voters equal to five (5) percent of the total votes cast in the 2008 governor's election from six of the state's nine congressional districts must be submitted. Depending on the combination of districts, the number of signatures required ranges between approximately 91,818 and 99,600 valid signatures.

For a petition seeking to change the Missouri Constitution, valid signatures from registered voters equal to eight (8) percent of the total votes cast in the 2008 governor's election from six of the state's nine congressional districts must be submitted. Depending on the combination of districts, the number of signatures required ranges between approximately 146,907 and 159,359 valid signatures for each petition.

There were 143 petitions submitted to be approved for signature gathering for this election cycle, which is a record number.