Missouri Supreme Court Blocks GOP Map After Primaries Already Held

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state's new Republican-drawn congressional map cannot be used in November. Voters must first weigh in via a referendum before the map takes effect.

• 300,000+ petition signatures triggered the referendum push late last year.
• Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition on August 4, primary election day.
• About 59% of the reshaped 5th District's voters were new under the Republican map.
• The new map was drawn after Trump urged Republicans to redraw districts mid-decade.

Why it matters: Control of at least one U.S. House seat turns on this ruling. Republicans had targeted the 5th District to flip it from Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin.

• The ruling revives the old district lines, under which Cleaver has won with at least 55% of the vote in most elections since 2004.
• Missouri's ruling is one of only a few nationally to go against Republican redistricting plans, which sought as many as 10 additional House seats.

How 39 sources split on this story

Where they split: The legal dispute centered on whether Missouri's referendum process applies to congressional redistricting laws passed by the Legislature — a question the state constitution did not explicitly answer.

What’s next: The ruling could still be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

• November's election will proceed under the previous district lines unless a higher court intervenes.
• Will Republicans seek U.S. Supreme Court review, and would the court act before November?
• If the referendum appears on the November ballot, will Missouri voters approve or reject the new map?