Missouri voters will decide in November whether to approve a Republican-backed congressional map after the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled Thursday that voters can challenge redistricting plans through referendum.
The ruling suspends the 2025 map and orders Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to use the 2022 congressional districts for the 2026 general election unless voters approve the new map.
The decision marks the first time since 1922 that Missourians will vote directly on a congressional map.
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said the state will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the ruling improperly overrides the Legislature’s authority over congressional redistricting.
The referendum was pushed by People Not Politicians, which collected more than 300,000 signatures. The group said the ruling gives Missouri voters the final say over the congressional map.
The suspended map was designed to help Republicans gain a seventh seat in Missouri’s congressional delegation, with the biggest changes affecting the 5th District.
The Aug. 4 primary was conducted under the 2025 boundaries and remains valid. Candidates who won their nominations will now face uncertainty over which district they will represent in November.
The Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling rested largely on the state Constitution’s broad language allowing referendums on “any act of the general assembly.” The court found no exception for congressional redistricting.
The case could now become a major test of the balance between state legislatures, voters and courts over congressional maps, with the U.S. Supreme Court potentially having the final word.
