The November ballot just got more crowded as the Missouri Supreme Court ordered Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to put the state’s new Congressional map to a vote of the people.
What We Know: Following Thursday’s unanimous ruling, the Congressional districts the Missouri General Assembly established in 2022 remain in full force and effect for the November, 2026 general election, and the new map will not take effect “unless and until approved by voters at the November 2026 general election,” the ruling stated.
What Is Next?: The Supreme Court ordered Hoskins to issue a certificate of sufficiency for the referendum petition, place the referendum on the ballot on November 3rd, and take all necessary steps to place the measure on the ballot by Tuesday, September 8th, the deadline for the November ballot to be finalized. From a legal standpoint, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said on social media the state will attempt to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Unprecedented” Move: In her social media post vowing to take the case to the nation’s high court, A-G Hanaway called the Missouri Supreme Court’s move “unprecedented.” “Never before in American history has a court overturned a Congressional map after a primary and before a general election,” Hanaway said. “This unprecedented decision clearly violates federal law and has thrust our state into a full-fledged constitutional crisis.”
How We Got Here: The case arose after Hoskins refused to certify more than 300,000 signatures collected by campaign committee “People Not Politicians Missouri” for its referendum petition seeking to block the map from being used for the 2026 elections. The Supreme Court’s decision reversed an earlier decision by a judge in Cole County, who said Missouri’s referendum powers do not apply to redistricting, agreeing with Hoskins’ stance.
But There’s More Coming to the Ballot: In a separate unanimous decision, the Missouri Supreme Court also ordered Amendment 6 to appear on the November 3rd ballot, also reversing the Cole County judge’s decision. The amendment would keep state lawmakers from limiting citizen initiative powers, and would require 80% approval in both the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives to pass legislation that would repeal what voters have already decided.