Missouri Referendum Lawsuit Over Redistricting Map Awaits Judge’s Ruling
A Cole County Circuit judge is expected to issue a swift ruling on a lawsuit challenging the rejection of a referendum on Missouri's congressional redistricting map. The referendum, spearheaded by the group People Not Politicians, was initially dismissed by Secretary…
St. Louis, MO, August 19, 2026 —
A decision is anticipated soon from a Cole County Circuit judge regarding a lawsuit that challenges the rejection of a referendum concerning Missouri’s congressional redistricting map. The group People Not Politicians is leading the effort to put the map to a referendum.
The referendum was initially dismissed by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins. Hoskins stated his reasoning was that redistricting plans are not subject to the referendum process under Missouri law. The legal challenge to this dismissal was heard on Wednesday.
Legal analysts anticipate that the case, regardless of the Cole County Circuit judge’s ruling, will likely be appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court. This potential escalation is due to the tight timeline for ballot inclusion in the upcoming November election.
A critical deadline looms on September 8th. This date is the final cutoff for any potential court-ordered additions to the November ballot. The outcome of this lawsuit could determine whether Missouri voters will have the opportunity to vote on the new congressional redistricting map.
Story summarized from the original created by Sarah Kellogg on www.stlpr.org, see more information here.
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