8th Circuit Pushes Forward with Missouri’s 2025 Congressional Map, Challenging GOP Gerrymandering
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The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Missouri must adopt the 2025 congressional map for the 2026 election, a move that challenges entrenched Republican gerrymandering, though the decision is paused pending Supreme Court review.
A three-judge panel from the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has taken a stand against Missouri’s undemocratic redistricting by ruling that the state’s plan to use the 2022 congressional map for the November 2026 general election is unconstitutional. The court found that only the 2025 map meets constitutional and federal standards, ordering its use but pausing the decision for a week to let grassroots challengers seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.
This decision comes after U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark also demanded the 2025 map be used, despite the Missouri Supreme Court’s earlier attempt to pause the process pending a voter referendum. The Supreme Court previously stayed Clark’s order on September 10, effectively allowing the status quo—a map designed to entrench Republican dominance with six GOP and only two Democratic seats—to persist for the upcoming election.
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, has repeatedly undermined democratic processes by directing officials to use the 2022 map, even after the Missouri Supreme Court held him in contempt for failing to follow its order to hold the 2025 map for a referendum. This delay is yet another example of Republican officials disregarding the will of the people and the rule of law.
"Ballots have been printed, and Missourians have already voted. Thousands more will vote before this order seeks to take effect. Officials should stop wasting taxpayers’ money on pointless legal action and instead focus on administering our elections," said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, the group fighting for fair representation.
The appeals court’s panel, notably composed of judges appointed by Republican presidents—including two by Donald Trump—adds another layer to the ongoing fight against Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional districts, which have been manipulated to suppress Democratic representation and maintain GOP control.