Missouri awaits decision from state Supreme Court on redistricting before November’s election

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.

—

The Missouri Supreme Court could make a ruling on the future of redistricting at any time after hearing arguments Wednesday in Jefferson City.

Both sides want a decision before Sept. 8, which is the deadline for the courts to order any changes to the November ballot.

The group People not Politicians filed a lawsuit after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins ruled a referendum the group created is not valid because redistricting is not subject to citizen referendums.

In September 2025, the Missouri general assembly passed a new congressional map. The most noticeable change in the map affects Congressional District 5, currently held by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver.

The new map stretches District 5 into rural, more Republican mid-Missouri.

Redistricting usually happens after a census, not in the middle of the decade.

People not Politicians collected signatures to stop the new map from taking effect until Missourians can vote on whether they approve of it. The group has always targeted a November vote on the map.

In court Wednesday, its attorney Chuck Hatfield said the court should offer guidance on whether the state should revert back to the map it used in 2022 and 2024 for the 2026 November general election, even after using the new map in the August primary.

“It was the secretary’s decision to go ahead and take the risk and play this huge game of chicken and use a map he knew might be illegal,” Hatfield said.

Al Miller/KSHB

Hoskins said his office will follow any ruling from the court.

“As long as they can get this decision down to us to finalize the answers we’ve been searching for and validate what the circuit court said, what the attorney general’s opinion said, what I’ve said as Missouri’s chief election officer, then we’ll be able to comply with whatever decision the Supreme Court makes,” Hoskins said.

Al Miller/KSHB

Neither group plans to appeal any decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

At a rally outside the Missouri Supreme Court, people opposed to this redistricting plan held a rally.

Kansas City resident Viola Maxwell explained why it is important to have a representative in Washington, D.C. who can help keep costs down.

Al Miller/KSHB

“So I can afford to live,” Maxwell said. “So I can afford my water bill, lights and gas. So I can afford to feed myself.”

Doug Shafer pushed back on supporters’ argument that the new map is better because it splits Kansas City into three districts instead of two.

“I think we will get ignored,” he said. “I think it’s a false narrative that now Kansas City will have three representatives in D.C.”

Al Miller/KSHB

—