Supreme Court Rejects Republican Redistricting Efforts in Missouri for Third Time

A voter arrives at a polling place on primary election day on August 4 in St. Louis. Michael Thomas / AP file. WASHINGTON — On September 25, 2026, the Supreme Court rejected efforts by Missouri Republicans to implement a new congressional map for the midterm elections for the third time. The court blocked an appeals court ruling that sought to revive the 2025 map, which had already been dismissed in two previous Supreme Court decisions and a ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court. The ruling was unanimous, with no dissents. The court stated, "At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map in the midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos." The justices granted an emergency application from People Not Politicians, the group challenging the new map. The election will proceed using a 2022 map that includes six seats held by Republicans and two held by Democrats. Missouri has begun sending out ballots to military and overseas voters, with some absentee voting starting on the same day. The Supreme Court emphasized that Missouri's voting processes had already commenced, stating, "This Court has repeatedly cautioned that ‘lower federal courts should not ‘alter the election rules’’ of a state ‘on the eve of an election.’" The proposed 2025 map would have eliminated one Democratic seat held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The Missouri map was part of a broader initiative by Republicans, encouraged by President Donald Trump, to redraw congressional districts in their favor. In response, Democrats in other states, including California, also drew new maps. The St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled on September 22 that the Republican-drawn Missouri map could be used, but it never took effect. The Supreme Court's ruling on September 25 overturned that decision. The appeals court had argued that the state should use the 2025 map because the primary election had already occurred with it. However, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the 2022 map should be used, placing responsibility for the confusion on Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, whom the state high court held in contempt. The Supreme Court noted that Hoskins was aware of the risks of using the 2025 map for the August primary election, referencing a May opinion from the state high court that indicated the new map would not be implemented before the 2026 elections. The legal disputes began when opponents of the new map gathered enough signatures to initiate a state referendum on its use. Under state law, a law subject to a referendum is suspended until after the vote. Hoskins delayed a decision on the referendum's validity until just before the primary, ultimately rejecting it and ordering the new map to be used. The Missouri Supreme Court quickly ruled that there were no grounds to dismiss the referendum proposal, stating that the map should be paused and the 2022 districts used instead. The situation appeared settled until a new lawsuit was filed on September 4 by Rick Brattin, the Republican nominee in Cleaver's district, along with Rep. Bob Onder, R-Mo., and two voters. This led to federal court involvement, where U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark ruled that the new map should be used, prompting the appeals court ruling and subsequent Supreme Court intervention.