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last mo.

State and Federal Courts Clash Over Which Missouri Congressional Map Will Govern November

Election officials now face tight ballot and overseas absentee mailing deadlines because competing orders and fast appeals leave the map unresolved.

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In this photo taken with a smartphone, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., campaigns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, Sedalia, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)
In this photo taken with a smartphone, Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin campaigns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, Sedalia, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)

Overview

  • The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Republican‑drawn 2025 map never took effect and ordered the state to revert to the 2022 districts while a citizen referendum proceeds.
  • Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri’s emergency request to block the state high court’s ruling, leaving that decision intact.
  • Hours after Kavanaugh’s action Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark issued a 14‑day temporary restraining order directing the state to use the 2025 GOP 'Missouri First' map for the November election.
  • People Not Politicians Missouri appealed to the 8th U.S. Circuit and filed emergency motions asking for Clark’s TRO to be stayed and for contempt proceedings against officials who follow the federal order.
  • The dispute complicates ballot finalization and absentee‑mailing schedules, could change the partisan makeup of one Kansas City‑based seat, and has prompted rapid, likely further appeals that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.