Obscure Missouri Law at Center of $80 Million Lawsuit Against Denny Hoskins
Summary
Five Missouri voters filed a lawsuit seeking about $80 million from Secretary of State Denny Hoskins over how he handled a congressional redistricting referendum. The case involves a state law from 1909 that lets people sue if a secretary of state fails to perform a legal duty. The conflict focuses on which congressional map Missouri should use for upcoming elections.Key Facts
- The lawsuit claims Hoskins wrongly rejected a referendum petition even though it had enough valid signatures.
- Plaintiffs argue Hoskins directed local officials to use a congressional map from 2025 despite a Missouri Supreme Court ruling to use the 2022 map.
- The case was filed on September 11 in Cole County Circuit Court and seeks $500 for each of about 162,000 verified petition signers.
- The lawsuit has not been certified as a class action, and no court has found Hoskins liable or awarded money yet.
- The dispute is part of a larger legal fight over Missouri’s congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections.
- Hoskins says he will follow a federal judge’s temporary order requiring use of the 2025 map and looks forward to court proceedings.
- Section 28.200 of Missouri law allows people "aggrieved" by a secretary of state’s failure to perform duties to sue in civil court.
- The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the 2025 congressional map had not taken effect, but a federal judge ordered the newer map’s use; the U.S. Supreme Court paused that order during appeal.
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