Missouri Supreme Court Blocks New Congressional Map Pending Voter Referendum

The Missouri Supreme Court voted unanimously on Thursday to prevent the congressional districts drawn by the Republican-led legislature from being used in the November general election. The court ruled that a petition filed by citizens to place the map on a statewide referendum was legal, sufficient and timely, and therefore the new districts will not take effect until voters approve them.

The court’s order means the map that was used in the August primaries will be set aside, and the district boundaries that were in place after the 2020 census will remain for the November 2026 election. The decision may be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling follows a dispute that began after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to redraw districts to improve their electoral prospects. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe convened a special legislative session last year to overhaul the fifth congressional district, which had been represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver. Opponents gathered more than 300,000 signatures in December to trigger a referendum, but Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition, arguing that the referendum process could not be applied to congressional redistricting. A lower court upheld Hoskins’ view, leading to the appeal that the state’s highest court reversed.

"The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise," the court wrote in its opinion.

Republicans had hoped the new map would add a seat to their congressional delegation, which currently consists of six Republicans and two Democrats. The reshaped fifth district now includes a majority of new voters, according to an Associated Press estimate, and Republican state senator Rick Brattin won the August primary there.

Missouri’s constitution does not explicitly address referendums on congressional redistricting, but the court interpreted a provision allowing referendums on “any act” of the legislature to cover the redistricting law. The decision adds to a series of legal challenges to mid-decade redistricting efforts that have unfolded in several states since the 2020 census.