The Missouri Supreme Court on Sept. 3 unanimously blocked a Republican-backed congressional redistricting plan from being used in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, ordering that the map must first be approved by voters in a statewide referendum.
The court ruled that the 2025 redistricting plan, which had been used in the August primary, cannot take effect unless voters affirm it in November. As a result, Missouri will use the 2022 congressional map for the 2026 general election, maintaining the current district lines that include six Republican-leaning and two Democratic-leaning districts.
Key Developments
- The court found that a citizen petition to place the redistricting plan on the ballot was legal, sufficient, and timely, reversing a decision by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and a lower court.
- The ruling means the Kansas City-based district of Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver will remain intact, as the new map had sought to dismantle it by adding more GOP-leaning areas.
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced plans to seek emergency review at the U.S. Supreme Court, calling the decision unprecedented and a violation of federal law.
Legal Rationale and State Response
The Missouri Supreme Court’s decision hinged on the state constitution’s provision allowing referendums on any act passed by the legislature, including congressional redistricting. The court stated in its ruling that the referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and that the new map did not go into effect because it had not been approved by voters.
Hanaway argued that the ruling thrust Missouri into a constitutional crisis, stating that no court had previously overturned a congressional map after a primary and before a general election. She emphasized that the decision violates federal law and disrupts the election process.
Political and Electoral Impact
The blocked map had been part of a broader Republican strategy to redraw congressional districts nationwide in favor of the GOP ahead of the midterms. In Missouri, the new lines were designed to expand Republican control from six to seven of the state’s eight House seats, targeting Cleaver’s district as a key opportunity.
Cleaver welcomed the ruling, stating that “Democracy prevails.” The decision marks a rare setback for Republicans in the national redistricting battle, as they seek to maintain their slim House majority.
Background and Context
The legal battle began after the People Not Politicians Missouri advocacy group gathered more than 300,000 signatures to force a referendum on the redistricting plan. Despite meeting the signature requirement, Hoskins refused to certify the petition, arguing that referendums could not be used for congressional redistricting. The group appealed to the state Supreme Court, which overturned Hoskins’ decision and sided with the referendum process.
The ruling comes just days before the Sept. 8 deadline to finalize the state’s ballot for the general election. The August primary elections were conducted using the Republican-drawn map, raising questions about the logistics of switching back to the old districts for November.
Next Steps
The state has indicated it will pursue emergency review at the U.S. Supreme Court, though the timeline for such a review remains uncertain. If the high court declines to intervene, the 2022 map will remain in place for the foreseeable future, pending the outcome of the November referendum.