Overview
- The Cole County ruling, issued Friday by Judge Brian K. Stumpe, says submitting boxes of signatures does not pause the law and the map stays in place until signatures are verified.
- Under Missouri’s Constitution, a referendum blocks a law only if the petition is certified as having enough valid signatures from at least two thirds of congressional districts.
- Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has until Aug. 4 to decide if the petition qualifies, with local election authorities checking signatures through late July and ballot deadlines approaching in June.
- The ACLU of Missouri says it will appeal, and the People Not Politicians campaign reports more than 305,000 signatures as it seeks a statewide vote to overturn the map.
- This week’s decision follows a 4–3 Missouri Supreme Court ruling upholding mid‑decade redistricting and a Jackson County ruling rejecting a compactness challenge, while Republicans tout the Trump‑backed map as a chance to target Kansas City Democrat Emanuel Cleaver’s seat.