Date that new Missouri congressional map takes effect leads to legal wrangling
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The state is asking a federal judge to reopen a dismissed redistricting lawsuit after dueling arguments made in public about when a new, legislature-approved congressional map takes effect.
The state says the map is in effect now while Secretary of State Denny Hoskins verifies the referendum to put the map on the November 2026 ballot. But People Not Politicians, the group backing the referendum, says the map was frozen when they submitted more than 300,000 signatures Dec. 9.
The state argues People Not Politicians acknowledged during the first federal court hearing that the congressional map is only frozen when Hoskins certifies the referendum.
People Not Politicians filed a reply in court Tuesday, arguing the opposite.
“What the State is actually doing is trying to police PNP’s public statements. The State’s letter preceding this motion was not subtle: It demanded, on threat of sanctions, that PNP issue a statement to the media endorsing the State’s incorrect view that PNP’s submission of signatures had no legal effect,” People Not Politicians’ response reads.
The Republican-led Missouri General Assembly approved the new congressional map last summer as part of a White House push to strengthen the narrow GOP majority in the U.S. House. Lawsuits challenging the map claim it is illegal to redraw congressional districts mid-decade, as the state constitution requires it be done after the census.
The map is likely to cut out U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City) and flip his seat to Republican.
The state sent People Not Politicians a letter asking them to clarify with the media the official start date of the new congressional map.
“The State therefore demands that you immediately issue a public statement confirming your concession to the Court that HB 1 is in effect unless and until the Secretary certifies the referendum,” Louis Capozzi, an attorney with the Attorney General, wrote. “The State also demands you send a copy of that statement to all media outlets that you or your client communicated the contrary position to. If you do not do so by 12:00 P.M. on Friday, December 12, the State will ask Judge Bluestone to issue sanctions.”
People Not Politicians responded with what its attorneys argued in court.
“We never made any such “concession” and will not be issuing or circulating the public statement that you requested. Our position has always been—and remains—that People Not Politicians’ (“PNP”) submission of signatures on December 9 prevents H.B. 1 from going into effect on December 11 unless the Secretary of State issues a formal determination that the petition is insufficient,” People Not Politicians’ attorneys replied.
An attorney for People Not Politicians, Chuck Hatfield, said the federal judge doesn’t have to rule on the state’s motion since the case is dismissed. Hatfield also said the state didn’t follow the process to reopen the case.
The group held a press conference Wednesday and brought legal experts in, like Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mike Wolff.
“The matter is being referred to the people for a vote. It does not go into effect until the voters say yes. If the voters say no, then, in effect, they’ve vetoed it in a way that supersedes any veto or approval that the governor may make,” he said.
Wolff cited three previous cases that mark precedent on this specific angle.
Executive Director of the group Richard von Glahn said they haven’t filed any lawsuits.
Von Glahn also said the state has been posting on social media that the new map is in effect, but he hasn’t seen any updates to Revisor of Missouri, which is the law regarding redistricting. The last time the law was updated was in 2022 for the previous map.
Federal judge Zachary Bluestone wrote in his order dismissing the case that Hoskins can turn down the referendum, but if he verifies it, the map will be frozen until after the November 2026 election.
The Secretary of State’s Office wrote in an email to ABC 17 News that signatures will be sent out to county election officials on or before Dec. 23. County officials will until July 28 to verify signatures.
The Secretary of State will then certify the signatures and the constitutionality of the referendum.