Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected a statewide referendum petition seeking voter approval of newly redrawn congressional districts that were backed by President Donald Trump. The petition had gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures, with local election officials certifying well over the approximately 111,000 required to place the measure on the ballot. Hoskins asserted that congressional redistricting plans are constitutionally barred from being subjected to voter referendums under Missouri law, rendering the petition void regardless of signature count.
The group People Not Politicians Missouri, which spearheaded the referendum effort, announced plans to challenge Hoskins’ decision in court, arguing the secretary of state was attempting to silence voters. The new congressional map, which gained approval from the Republican-controlled state Legislature, significantly altered the Kansas City-based 5th Congressional District held by longtime Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver, stretching it into rural central Missouri to provide it a Republican advantage. Republicans already control six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats and sought to add another through the redistricting effort.
Hostins also rejected a separate ballot initiative that would have strengthened protections for citizen-led ballot measures and made it more difficult for the Legislature to modify or reverse voter-approved initiatives. The Respect Missouri Voters coalition, which submitted thousands of signatures for that amendment, indicated it would pursue legal action. Hoskins’ decision came on the final day allowed under state law, enabling the new districts to be used during the campaign season.
Missouri became the second Republican-led state, following Texas, to redraw congressional districts in response to Trump’s call for mid-decade redistricting aimed at maintaining Republican House control. The redistricting effort has generated approximately a dozen lawsuits over the past year. If courts ultimately order Hoskins to place the referendum on the ballot, questions remain about how primary results would be affected and whether elections would require restructuring.
Nationally, Republicans across eight states have enacted new congressional maps they believe could yield as many as 16 additional House seats, while Democrats pursued counter-redistricting efforts in two states with more limited potential gains. Nearly 145 million Americans reside in states with newly redrawn congressional districts for the upcoming election cycle.
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