Key facts
- The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked a Republican-backed congressional map.
- The court ruled that voters must first approve the map in a statewide referendum.
- The ruling prevents the new districts from taking effect unless approved by voters.
- The congressional map adopted after the 2020 census remains in effect for the November 2026 general election.
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
- President Donald Trump denounced the ruling as 'ridiculous' and unconstitutional.
The Missouri Supreme Court has unanimously blocked a congressional map backed by Donald Trump from being used in the upcoming November midterm elections. The court ruled that the new districts, designed to help Republicans gain an additional seat in the House of Representatives, cannot take effect unless approved by voters in a statewide referendum. This decision overturns a previous rejection of the petition by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who argued that the referendum process could not be used for congressional redistricting.
The court found the referendum petition, which garnered over 300,000 signatures, to be legal, sufficient, and timely. As a result, the congressional map adopted after the 2020 census will remain in effect for the November 2026 general election. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has stated her intention to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, calling it a 'full-fledged constitutional crisis' and arguing it disenfranchises voters. President Trump also criticized the decision as 'ridiculous' and unconstitutional, suggesting there may not be enough time to implement a new map before the elections.
The group People Not Politicians, which led the petition effort, applauded the court's decision, stating that Missourians will vote on the 'rigged map' and blaming the Secretary of State for potential confusion.