Missouri Judge Blocks Referendum on Republican Congressional Map

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday that new U.S. House districts in Missouri will be used in the November elections, rejecting a bid by the advocacy group People Not Politicians to force a statewide referendum on the Republican-friendly map. The ruling upholds a previous decision by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to reject a petition containing over 300,000 signatures.

Judge Green concluded that the Missouri Constitution does not reallocate redistricting authority from the General Assembly to a referendum process. He further noted that changing boundaries after the August primaries would violate federal law and cause voter disenfranchisement. The contested map, signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe in September 2025, specifically targets Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by splitting Kansas City and extending the 5th Congressional District into rural Republican areas. This redistricting followed a special session called by Kehoe after President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw boundaries to maintain a House majority.

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters praised the ruling as a victory for election integrity. Conversely, People Not Politicians argued that the judge sided with out-of-state interests and announced an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. A critical deadline of September 8 exists for the petition to be added to the ballot. In a separate ruling, Judge Green also blocked Amendment 6, a proposal by Respect Missouri Voters to protect citizen-led initiatives, citing a violation of the state's single-subject requirement.