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Missouri court blocks gerrymandered map
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the 2025 GOP congressional map, restoring 2022 lines for November. Voters will decide the map's fate in a referendum, a first since 1922.
Background
Missouri Republicans redrew the state's congressional map in 2025, a move seen as gerrymandering to favor the GOP. Nearly 300,000 residents signed a petition to force a referendum on the map, but Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected it. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the referendum was legal, blocking the new map from use in the November midterms until voters approve it.
How it unfolded
- 2025Missouri Legislature passed a new congressional map, which was signed into law.
- 2025 -2026Opponents gathered nearly 300,000 signatures to force a referendum on the map.
- recentlySecretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition, leading to a legal challenge.
- Sep 3, 2026Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled the referendum petition was legal, blocking the new map and ordering a statewide vote in November.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said the ruling is unprecedented and violates federal law, and will seek immediate relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Party
- Missouri Democratic Party celebrated the decision as a 'VICTORY TO THE PEOPLE!' and praised the grassroots effort.
- Public
- President Trump called the ruling a 'Dark Day for Justice' and 'ridiculous,' arguing it disrupts the election process.