Overview
- The Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled Tuesday in a 4–3 decision, said the state constitution does not forbid lawmakers from redrawing congressional districts mid‑decade.
- Republicans passed the map in September 2025 to make the Kansas City–area seat held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver more winnable by moving parts of the city into two rural, GOP‑leaning districts.
- The reshaped lines split Kansas City into the 4th, 5th and 6th districts, and local residents and pastors say the changes dilute neighborhood voices and create confusion about who represents them.
- Opponents have submitted more than 300,000 signatures to force a statewide vote on the map, with certification by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins still pending and related lawsuits continuing.
- In separate election rulings, the court kept Missouri’s photo‑ID requirement for voting but struck several 2022 limits on voter‑registration and absentee‑ballot outreach by civic groups.