Missouri Redistricting Battle
Missouri Supreme Court Upholds Referendum, Reverting State to 2022 Congressional Map
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Key Points
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Secretary of State Denny Hoskins declared the referendum effort unconstitutional on Aug. 4, the same day he approved placing the Republican-backed map— which splits Kansas City among three congressional districts—on the primary ballot.
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Opponents of the mid-decade redistricting collected more than 300,000 signatures, triggering a referendum under which the 2025 map would take effect only if Missouri voters approve it.
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JD Vance argued that using different district boundaries in the primary and general elections would confuse voters, candidates and election officials, calling the prospect “an affront to the democratic process.”
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The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral arguments in the redistricting case for 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Louis, marking the next major step in the litigation.
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The related discussion of Amendment 6 focuses on a proposed requirement that 80% of Missouri lawmakers approve changes to voter-approved initiative petitions, a provision that could affect the state’s long-term governance.
Missouri will use its 2022 congressional map for the November general election after courts blocked a Republican-drawn redistricting plan. Missouri Supreme Court upheld a referendum petition signed by over 300,000 voters, and U.S. Supreme Court blocked a federal order requiring the newer boundaries. The 2025 map, used in August's primary, was designed to shift Missouri's delegation from six Republicans and two Democrats to seven Republicans and one Democrat.
The chaos erupted after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the referendum on the same day he approved the Republican map for the primary ballot. Vice President JD Vance called the court decision "an affront to the democratic process," while House Speaker Jon Patterson urged officials to accept the ruling and move forward with the election.
How 300,000 Signatures Triggered a Legal Showdown
Opponents of mid-decade redistricting collected more than 300,000 signatures under Missouri's constitutional referendum power. Ballotpedia reports grassroots group *People Not Politicians* submitted signatures in May 2026. The referendum automatically suspended the new map until voters could decide on it in November. Secretary of State Hoskins initially rejected the referendum on August 4, calling it unconstitutional—the same day he approved placing the Republican map on the primary ballot.
The Republican-drawn 2025 map, known as House Bill 1, carved Kansas City into three separate congressional districts extending into conservative rural areas. This directly threatened Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver's seat. The Guardian noted that voting rights attorney David Walbert said the chaos was "100% the result of state machinery that created this" by holding primaries under a suspended statute.
Secretary of State Defies Courts, Then Backs Down
After Missouri Supreme Court certified the referendum on September 3, Secretary Hoskins instructed local election officials to use the 2025 map anyway. The state court held him in contempt on September 10. Hoskins then reversed course and agreed to distribute ballots using the 2022 map. KCTV5 reported the Secretary of State purged the contempt finding by revising his guidance to local authorities.
The confusion extended to federal court. U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Clark ordered Missouri to use the 2025 map on September 8. But U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned emergency order on September 10, blocking Clark's ruling and reinstating the 2022 map for the general election. This intervention kept the older boundaries in place for November.
Vance and Kehoe Defend the Primary Map
Vice President JD Vance opposed reverting to the 2022 map, arguing that using different boundaries for the primary and general elections would confuse voters and candidates. Associated Press quoted Vance saying the prospect was "an affront to the democratic process." Governor Mike Kehoe, who called the special legislative session that passed the 2025 map, continues to advocate for retaining House Bill 1.
But House Speaker Jon Patterson broke ranks, urging state officials to accept the Supreme Court's ruling and proceed with the election using the 2022 map. NBC News reported that Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral arguments for September 17 in St. Louis—the next major step in ongoing litigation over redistricting.
Amendment 6 Could Lock In Voter Power Long-Term
Beyond this election cycle, Missouri voters will decide on Amendment 6 in November. Ballotpedia explains the measure would require an 80% supermajority in both legislative chambers—plus voter approval—for lawmakers to alter citizen-passed petitions. This directly responds to the Republican-led legislature overriding the voter-backed redistricting process through mid-decade gerrymandering. The amendment aims to protect direct democracy from legislative interference.
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