Missouri Supreme Court Upholds 2022 Congressional Map, Blocks GOP 2025 Redistricting Plan The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the 2025 congressional map cannot be used in the 2026 election, affirming that the 2022 map remains in effect and blocking a GOP mid-decade gerrymander. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the 2025 congressional redistricting map cannot be used in the 2026 election, affirming that the 2022 map remains the legal map for Missouri. The decision, issued without noted dissents, marks the third time the high court has rejected the Republican-led map, delivering a victory for Missouri voters who challenged the mid-decade redistricting effort. The unsigned ruling states that the 2022 map, not the 2025 map, must be used in the 2026 congressional election. It also directs the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit not to enjoin or prohibit the use of the 2022 map and not to require Missouri to use the 2025 map in November.Missouri Supreme Court Rejects 2025 MapThe legal battle began after the Missouri Legislature enacted a new congressional map in 2025, responding to public pressure from President Donald Trump. Like Republican legislators in other states, Missouri lawmakers pursued the new districts to favor their party. However, the Missouri Constitution allows voters to challenge such laws through referendums if enough signatures are collected.The Missouri Supreme Court had previously ruled on September 3 that the 2025 redistricting map is not the law and has never been the law in Missouri, and will not take effect unless approved by voters in a referendum in the 2026 election. Friday's ruling reiterated that position, emphasizing that as a matter of state law, the 2022 map must be used.The court highlighted that at this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map amid an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos. Early voting is already underway, and Election Day is less than six weeks away.Reactions to the Redistricting DecisionCampaigners and advocacy groups celebrated the ruling. Richard von Glahn, executive director of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said, We are done with corrupt politicians trying to force their map into effect outside the process outlined in the Missouri Constitution. We have said from the beginning, people, not politicians will be the final deciders on this DC power grab. We are moving forward to vote NO on Proposition A.Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Redistricting Foundation, declared that this victory is the final nail in the coffin of Missouri's egregious mid-decade gerrymander for the 2026 midterms. She added that in the 2026 midterms, Missourians will not only vote on the 2022 congressional map, which keeps Kansas City together, but will also have the opportunity to veto Republicans' mid-decade gerrymander at the ballot box.Governor Mike Kehoe, who called the special session to redraw the map and signed House Bill 1, has not commented on the ruling. The decision also noted that candidates for the general election remain unchanged even though district boundaries have reverted to prior lines. Representative Emanuel Cleaver was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and Republican state Senator Rick Brattin won a six-way Republican primary under the revised districts. They remain the candidates for the general election.Background and Legal ContextThe 2025 map was part of a broader Republican effort to maintain control of both chambers of Congress. The president's unpopular and illegal war on Iran has exacerbated the country's affordability crisis, adding to the political stakes. The Missouri Supreme Court's ruling is a significant win for voters, ensuring that the 2022 map, which was drawn by a nonpartisan commission, will be used in the 2026 election.The court's decision also reinforces the power of the referendum process in Missouri. Under state law, a new law such as the 2025 map does not take effect unless and until approved by voters in a referendum in the next election, provided that the number of voter signatures on the petition suffices to trigger a referendum. This principle was central to the court's reasoning.The ruling comes as Republicans in other states have pursued similar mid-decade redistricting efforts, often facing legal challenges. The Missouri Supreme Court's decision is a notable example of a state court pushing back against such attempts, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the constitutional process and protecting voters' rights.