Supreme Court again blocks Missouri’s new congressional map for 2026
The Supreme Court refused for a third time to let Missouri use a newly drawn congressional map that Republicans favored. The unsigned order kept in place a lower-court ruling that the 2022 map should remain in effect for the 2026 election. The dispute arose after Missouri officials rejected a referendum petition against the new map, and the state supreme court ruled the petition valid.
Missouri adopted a Republican-favored congressional map in September 2025, aiming to gain one U.S. House seat. After opponents gathered over 300,000 signatures for a referendum, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition on Aug. 4, 2026, and the August primary proceeded under the new map.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled the petition valid on Sept. 3, meaning the 2025 map never took effect unless voters approve it. Federal litigation followed, with candidates and voters arguing that switching to the 2022 map would change their districts between the primary and general elections.
The ruling may leave Missouri’s 2026 congressional elections under the 2022 map, affecting candidates, voters, and party strategies. Candidates who won August primaries could face different general-election district lines, potentially confusing voters and prompting further litigation. Because the Supreme Court did not issue a public dissent, the immediate effect could be stability for election administration, though the underlying dispute may continue if voters consider the referendum.