Missouri Appeals to Supreme Court Over Congressional Redistricting
In a significant move within the ongoing national redistricting debate, Missouri has approached the U.S. Supreme Court seeking approval for its newly drawn congressional districts, which have gained the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. This appeal comes in anticipation of the upcoming midterm elections.
The Missouri Supreme Court recently invalidated the newly proposed map, mandating a statewide referendum in November to determine its fate. The redistricting effort, initiated by Trump last year, aims to secure an additional Republican seat and maintain the party’s narrow majority in the House ahead of the midterm elections.
Following the submission of over 300,000 petition signatures from opponents of the redistricting, the Missouri Supreme Court decided to put the map to a public vote. Despite Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ initial rejection of the petition, citing constitutional constraints on referendum petitions for congressional redistricting, the state’s highest court overturned this decision.
The court’s ruling effectively halted the implementation of the new districts, requiring the use of the previous boundaries established after the 2020 census for the general election. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway highlighted the unprecedented nature of this decision, stating, “No court in American history has ever given such an extraordinary remedy, which inflicts unprecedented chaos on Missouri.” Her office expressed concerns about the feasibility of updating the congressional map in time for the federal election.
Hanaway has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and overturn the state court’s decision promptly. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, responsible for appeals from the region, has instructed opponents of the new map to submit their responses by Monday. Missouri law requires any changes to the November ballot to be finalized by Tuesday.
Proponents of the referendum argue that it would empower Missouri residents by allowing them a say in the redistricting process. Currently, the state’s congressional delegation comprises six Republicans and two Democrats. The newly proposed districts notably reconfigure a district based in Kansas City, represented by veteran Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.
Typically, redistricting aligns with the decennial census data, but Trump’s push for an electoral advantage in the midterms has led to a unique mid-decade redistricting conflict, affecting over a dozen states governed by both political parties.
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