Barring intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, Missouri voters will cast ballots in November on a referendum which will ask if they accept or reject the congressional map approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature in September 2025.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (R) signed that map into law. The Missouri Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two key cases on Wednesday, and late Thursday afternoon reversed the Cole County Circuit Court’s decision that the state Constitution’s referendum power does not apply to the Legislature’s congressional redistricting.
In a 7-0 decision, the Missouri Supreme Court has ordered that the referendum and an initiative petition appear on the November ballot and that Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins use the 2022 congressional district map.
Attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represents “People Not Politicians”, asked the state Supreme Court to reverse the Cole County circuit court’s decision on Wednesday, during oral arguments. Counselor Hatfield says the people’s power to conduct a referendum about “any act of the General Assembly” applies to congressional redistricting. Counselor Hatfield asked the Supreme Court to use what he calls the plain language in the state Constitution on this.
Secretary Hoskins blasts the decision and hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will take the case. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) has filed a motion for an emergency stay with the U.S. Supreme Court. General Hanaway tells “Wake Up Missouri” that she’s “super ticked off” by the state Supreme Court ruling, describing it as “absolutely unbelievable.” She is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and has also filed a motion asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider their decision.