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The Missouri Legislature will begin a special session aimed at redrawing congressional maps on Wednesday. The proposed maps would drastically change what districts Kansas Citians would vote in.
Kansas City proper would be divided into three congressional districts, Missouri's 4th, 5th and 6th.
Governor Mike Kehoe has called it a "Missouri First Map."
"This is about clarity for voters and ownership of our future," Governor Kehoe said.
Democratic Party members say it will render Kansas City voiceless.
"It will render people in Kansas City essentially silent and powerless," 5th District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver said.
The Kansas City metro would essentially be split right down the middle under the proposed redistricting.
Neighborhoods that have been represented by Cleaver, a Democrat, could switch to Congressman Mark Alford, a Republican, who now represents the 4th Congressional District.
The 4th and 5th Congressional District's dividing line would fall right down the middle of Holmes Road in KCMO, according to published maps. It would move residents like Lauren Weinhold from the 5th District to the 4th District .
"It's really disappointing that I feel as I'll have less of a voice if this redistricting plan goes through," Weinhold said.
The 4th District would include a sliver of the Kansas City metro and about a dozen of Missouri's more rural counties.
"I find it difficult to believe that a representative could possibly know all of the issues that are affecting Kansas Citians and individuals who live in southern Missouri," Weinhold said.
The 5th District would extend from Eastern Jackson County to parts of the Lake of the Ozarks.
The district is now nearly all in the Kansas City area
One Grain Valley neighbor shared her reaction with KSHB 41's Isabella Ledonne after sharing the maps.
"Oh wow," Jena Campbell said. "This community is a lot different than down there as far as the population we have."
Missouri's governor proposed the redistricting following a nationwide trend spearheaded by the Trump administration.
"I am calling on the General Assembly to take action on congressional redistricting and initiative petition reform to ensure our districts and Constitution truly put Missouri values first,” Kehoe said in a release. “This is about clarity for voters and ownership of our future, and I hope the legislature will work together to pass our Missouri First Map and critically needed IP reform.”
But some in Kansas City aren't feeling heard by state leaders.
"If the governor has proposed this redistricting plan to give the citizens of Missouri more voice, we've had no voice in this redistricting plan," Weinhold said.
More in depth coverage, including statements from state legislators, can be found here.
