Missouri Supreme Court makes ruling on redistricting referendum: Map must go on ballot

(AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has unanimously blocked new congressional districts backed by President Donald Trump from being used in the November election and ordered a statewide vote on whether to uphold or reject the new map.The decision Thursday marks a rare setback for Republicans in a national redistricting battle. Republicans had hoped Missouri’s new congressional boundaries could help them win an additional seat and hold onto their slim House majority in the midterms. The ruling still could be appealed to the U.S.

Supreme Court.Missouri’s new districts were used in the August primaries. But the state Supreme Court said they cannot be used in the November general election — or ever again, unless voters first uphold the new districts passed by the Republican-led Legislature.The court placed the new districts on hold because citizens submitted petition signatures seeking a referendum.“The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise,” the court said in its ruling. The legislation containing the new districts “did not go into effect and will not go into effect unless and until approved by the voters.” As as result, the congressional map adopted after the 2020 census “remains in full force and effect for the November 2026 general election.”The Missouri Constitution does not specifically say a referendum petition can be used for a congressional redistricting law passed by the Legislature.

But the Supreme Court ruled that a constitutional provision allowing a referendum on “any act” of the Legislature encompasses congressional redistricting.The ruling capped a year of political maneuvering and legal wrangling over the new districts.After Trump urged Republicans to redraw congressional districts to their advantage, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers into a special session last year to dramatically reconfigure the 5th Congressional District, held by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver.Opponents submitted over 300,000 petition signatures in December seeking to put the map to a vote of the people. But Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins waited until primary election day in August to reject the petition.

He asserted that the referendum process cannot be used for congressional redistricting. A lower court agreed, resulting in an appeal to the state's highest court, which over… The Missouri Supreme Court has made a decision on the validity of a referendum related to the redrawn congressional map.