Supreme Court blocks Missouri map switch for November

Supreme Court leaves prior map in place

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday blocked Missouri from switching to a 2025 congressional map for the November 2026 election. It was the third time this month that the justices rejected an attempt to put those districts into effect.

In an unsigned opinion, the court said a late change could cause “electoral chaos.” Ballots using the map adopted after the 2020 census had already been printed and mailed. Absentee voting and voting by military and overseas residents were also underway. Missouri election officials told the court that returning to the 2025 districts at that stage was practically impossible.

The order means voters will use the same congressional boundaries used in 2022 and 2024. Those differ from the districts used in Missouri’s August primary. Gov. Mike Kehoe said the change between the primary and general election was disappointing, but Missouri would follow the order.

Conflicting court orders

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Sept. 3 that the 2025 map could not take effect unless voters approved it through a referendum. It ordered the state to use the post-2020 census districts for the 2026 election.

The U.S. Supreme Court left that ruling in place Sept. 8. Later that day, U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark ordered Missouri to use the 2025 map, but the Supreme Court blocked his order Sept. 10.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals then ruled Sept. 21 in favor of using the 2025 districts. Friday’s Supreme Court order blocked that change.

How the maps differ

Missouri lawmakers approved the 2025 map with backing from President Donald Trump. Republicans sought an opportunity to increase their six-seat share of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats.

The map reshaped the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, by removing parts of Kansas City and extending the district east into rural areas. The 2025 map remains subject to voter approval through a referendum.