Missouri’s congressional districts are back in front of US Supreme Court

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

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The U.S. Supreme Court will once again decide what congressional map Missouri should use in November’s general election. But this time, absentee voting has already begun under the 2022 map.

Late Tuesday night, the organization People Not Politicians filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. Monday, a mandate from a federal appeals court ordered the switch to the Trump-backed 2025 version.

In two previous decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court has told Missouri to use the 2022 map, which makes it easier for incumbent Congressman Emanuel Cleaver to win reelection in Missouri’s 5th District, representing Democrat-heavy Kansas City.

In 2025, Republican state lawmakers pushed nationwide for redistricting, successfully passing a new map in Missouri.

That map stretches the 5th District into Republican-dominant mid-Missouri, making it easier for Rick Brattin to defeat Cleaver and give Missouri seven Republican representatives in Washington, D.C.

Missouri used the 2025 map in August’s primary elections. Since then, the state Supreme Court has ordered Missouri to use the 2022 map, saying a referendum by voters froze the 2022 map in place.

On the November ballot, voters will see Proposition A, which asks them whether they want to adopt the 2025 map moving forward.

Several groups submitted arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday afternoon, including a group representing voters, attorneys general from 22 Republican states, the ACLU, Congressman Bob Onder and the group People Not Politicians.

Supporters of the 2025 map argue it's unconstitutional to switch maps between the primary and general elections.

Opponents say it’s too late to make changes, as absentee voting for November’s election is underway using the 2022 map.

Election offices in Kansas City and Jackson County warned those who vote absentee that they will not get to vote again if the map changes and affects their congressional district.

The Supreme Court has not said when exactly it will issue a decision.

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