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Alison Patton
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Cole County judge was supposed to hear arguments Thursday on a redistricting lawsuit filed by a group that wants to get the governor’s “Missouri First” map on the 2026 ballot, but an intervenor stepped in and was granted a judge change.
Put Missouri First is a political group backing the new congressional map, and has now pushed the trial to Nov. 21.
People Not Politicians attorney Chuck Hatfield said intervenors can be anyone who has a stake in the lawsuit.
An attorney for Put Missouri First said the stake for his client is campaign money and advocacy–as in wanting to protect the congressional map.
According to the Missouri Ethics Commission, the group received $50,000 from the National Republican Congressional Committee and another $50,000 from the Republican National Committee. Put Missouri First received both contributions on Nov. 5.
Hatfield said Thursday’s actions were out of line.
“The shenanigans that are happening here are unprecedented. They’re ridiculous and they’re undemocratic,” Hatfield said.
People Not Politicians sued Secretary of State Denny Hoskins for failing to approve a referendum to overturn the new congressional map passed by the Missouri General Assembly.
The group argues this is illegal because the form was rejected — not for its content, but because the governor didn’t sign the new congressional maps into law, which People Not Politicians says is the problem.
The state argues this lawsuit is no longer relevant because Hoskins has already approved the referendum for circulation, according to pretrial briefs.
People Not Politicians Executive Director Richard von Glahn said 92,000 people signed the referendum petition before Hoskins approved it.
“Because of these delays and tactics, they’re not sure if they should sign the petition a second time or not, and the secretary of state has insinuated that if they do, they’re breaking the law,” von Glahn said.
Hoskins approved the exact ballot language that was submitted before and was rejected. von Glahn said signatures can be collected as soon as it’s submitted.
Shortly after approving the referendum, Hoskins filed a federal lawsuit to stop the petition from circulating, arguing that a referendum can’t be done on congressional redistricting. A federal judge is set to hear those arguments in November.
When Hoskins approved the referendum, he said in a press release that any signatures collected before approval are invalid. People Not Politicians will argue in Thursday’s trial that signatures can be collected once the form has been submitted.
The state will argue that it is a moot point because signatures haven’t been submitted yet, according to the pretrial brief.
The new congressional map is likely to cut out a Democratic seat in Congress.
During Wednesday’s trial, on a separate redistricting lawsuit, the state claimed the lawsuit was a political matter, saying the plaintiffs were upset with the state’s move to redistrict and the political gains in Congress.
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