Appeals court weighs Missouri congressional map despite Supreme Court block

A federal appeals court panel in Missouri is deliberating on the possibility of reinstating congressional districts championed by President Donald Trump. This move comes despite the U.S. Supreme Court's previous ruling blocking the use of these districts in the November election. The three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing arguments regarding the state's decision to potentially utilize the new Republican-drawn U.S. House districts.

However, the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the new map remains uncertain. This is because the U.S. Supreme Court has already blocked the enforcement of a lower court order favoring the map pending a possible appeal and eventual decision by the high court. For the upcoming November election, Missouri is set to proceed with the same congressional districts it used in 2024 and 2022, following earlier decisions by the Missouri Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court.

Local election officials informed the court that they have already commenced printing ballots with these districts, having a Friday deadline to mail absentee ballots to overseas citizens and military voters under federal law. State law mandates absentee ballots to be accessible to all other voters by next Tuesday. Attempting to alter districts at such a late stage is deemed "practically impossible" and would incur costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a filing by the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities.

Missouri's redistricting saga stands as the most protracted, intricate, and convoluted among nearly a dozen states that have been actively seeking to modify their U.S. House districts within the past year. President Trump catalyzed this wave of mid-decade redistricting efforts, urging Republican-led states to redraw districts to gain an advantage in the upcoming midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress and impact his administration's agenda.