Supreme Court bars use of contested Missouri congressional map

The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order preventing the implementation of a newly drawn congressional map in Missouri, requiring the state to continue using the districts that were in place for the 2022 and 2024 elections. The decision comes as the nation watches the start of the midterm voting period.

The court noted that altering district lines at this stage could cause "electoral chaos." > "electoral chaos."

Missouri lawmakers had approved the map last year, citing a broader effort to create more Republican-leaning districts ahead of the 2024 House races. However, opponents gathered enough signatures to place a citizen petition on the November ballot, demanding voter approval before the map could take effect.

Earlier this month, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the map had never become law because it had not been ratified by voters, despite its use in the August 4 primary. The state’s highest court also criticized Secretary of State Denny Hoskins for proceeding with the map in the primaries without voter endorsement. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling aligns with that state court finding.

Federal litigation had previously allowed the map to proceed, with a district judge and a federal appeals court siding with Republican lawmakers. The Supreme Court’s latest order overturns those lower-court decisions, reinforcing the requirement for voter approval before any new district plan can be applied.