Supreme Court leaves Missouri’s existing congressional map in place for midterms

What This is

• The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using its 2025 congressional map in the midterms, leaving the state set to use its 2022 districts in November.
• Voters will decide whether to approve the 2025 map in a statewide referendum in November.
• Federal courts issued conflicting orders, including an 8th Circuit decision favoring the 2025 map, but that order was paused while the Supreme Court considered emergency requests.
• Election administration was strained because ballots were being printed or mailed, and absentee voting had started under the 2022 lines while courts debated a switch.
• The 2025 map was designed to strengthen Republicans’ chances, including by reshaping the Kansas City-area seat held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.
• Secretary of State Denny Hoskins briefly faced a contempt finding after directing counties to use the 2025 map despite the Missouri Supreme Court’s order; he later directed them to use the 2022 map.
• Because the August primary used different district lines than the general election will, more than 1 million voters may be in a different district in November than they were in the primary.

Why This Matters

• Stable district lines close to Election Day help voters identify their congressional district and reduce the risk of confusion.
• The case highlights a conflict between Missouri’s referendum process and federal claims about how elections must be conducted.
• Mid-decade redistricting battles can undermine trust that district boundaries reflect voters’ interests rather than politicians’ electoral goals.