A Ruling on Mid-Decade Redistricting
The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a new Republican-drawn congressional map on Tuesday, ruling that state law does not explicitly prohibit lawmakers from conducting mid-decade redistricting. Judge Zel M. Fischer wrote in the majority opinion, signed by four judges, that "the obligation to legislate congressional districts once a decade does not limit the General Assembly's power to redistrict more frequently than once a decade. Simply put, 'when' does not mean 'only when.'" Three judges dissented from the decision.
Typically, states redraw their district lines every 10 years after a new census, but Missouri's Republican governor signed this map into law last year with a different purpose in mind.
Targeting a Democratic Seat
The map is designed to net the GOP a House seat in the 2026 midterm elections by reshaping Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. Republican lawmakers redrew the state's congressional map in an effort to unseat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by moving parts of Kansas City into two more rural and Republican-leaning districts nearby. Six Republicans have filed to run for the newly drawn seat ahead of the August primary.
President Donald Trump called on Republican-controlled states last year to redraw their congressional maps ahead of the midterms, where the GOP faces a tough battle to maintain control of the House. His calls triggered a national redistricting arms race between both parties, with six states enacting new maps in 2025. The fight is ongoing, with voters in Virginia set to weigh in on a Democratic-drawn map next month as Republican lawmakers in Florida are preparing for a special legislative session on redistricting.
Legal Challenges Continue
Despite the court's decision, opponents of the map are pursuing other avenues to block it. The advocacy group People Not Politicians has sued to try to put the map on hold while a voter referendum is decided. Advocates say they have enough signatures to qualify their measure for the ballot, though Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who supports the redrawn map, has not yet certified it.
The NAACP has also appealed a separate lawsuit that challenges the map's validity to the Missouri Supreme Court after losing their case at trial court last month. The referendum effort and ongoing legal challenges mean that while the court has cleared the map, political and legal battles over Missouri's electoral districts are far from settled.
