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Missouri Supreme Court Blocks Trump-Backed Redistricting Map for November Elections
Just the facts
The state high court determined that a referendum petition submitted by citizens was legal and timely, placing the Republican-backed redistricting legislation on hold until voters can weigh in. Under the court order, Missouri will revert to its 2020 census congressional map for the November 2026 midterms. Republican Governor Mike Kehoe had called a special legislative session to reconfigure the 5th Congressional District, currently represented by Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Opponents collected over 300,000 signatures to block the map, which sought to add rural Republican areas to Cleaver's Kansas City-based district.
Why this is news
On September 3, 2026, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a newly redrawn congressional map backed by President Donald Trump cannot be used in the November 2026 general election. The ruling overturned a decision by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had rejected a citizen petition seeking a statewide referendum on the legislative redistricting plan.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.