Missouri's top court blocks new House map favoring GOP until voters can weigh in

Missouri's Supreme Court has halted new congressional districts crafted by President Donald Trump from being utilized in the upcoming November election, ordering a statewide vote to determine if the districts should be retained or rejected. This decision represents a significant defeat for Republicans in a nationwide redistricting dispute. The court's ruling could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

These new districts were employed during the August primary elections, but the Missouri Supreme Court has ruled they cannot be used in the general election or at any future date unless voters first approve the map passed by the Republican-controlled legislature. The court placed the new districts on hold due to citizens collecting petition signatures for a referendum.

Chief Justice W. Brent Powell explained that a constitutional provision permitting a referendum on "any act" of the Legislature includes congressional redistricting.

The Missouri Constitution does not explicitly state that a referendum petition can be used for a congressional redistricting law passed by the Legislature. However, the Supreme Court determined that the constitutional provision covering referendums on "any act" of the Legislature applies to congressional redistricting as well. This ruling concluded a year of political maneuvering and legal battles surrounding the new districts.

After encouraging Republicans to redraw congressional districts to their advantage, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe convened lawmakers into a special session last year to substantially alter the 5th Congressional District, held by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver. Opponents gathered over 300,000 petition signatures in December to submit the map to a vote of the people.

However, Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins delayed approving the petition until the primary election day in August, claiming that the referendum process cannot be applied to congressional redistricting. A lower court concurred, leading to an appeal to the state's highest court, which overturned Hoskins' decision.