The Missouri Election Crisis That Could Unfold After the Midterms
Summary
The Supreme Court ruled that Missouri’s 2026 congressional elections will use the 2022 district map, even though candidates were selected under the 2025 map. The ruling settled which map applies for now, but close results, district disputes, or a contested redistricting referendum could lead to further legal challenges.Key Facts
- Missouri’s Republican-led legislature adopted a new congressional map in 2025 after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to redraw maps.
- The Supreme Court stayed an Eighth Circuit decision that had barred use of the 2025 map in the general election.
- The Supreme Court said ballots had already been printed and mailed using the 2022 map, and voting had begun.
- A USC professor estimated that about 1.4 million Missourians changed districts between the maps; about 284,000 primary voters would vote in a different district in the general election.
- The Missouri Independent reported that voters in 28 counties were affected by the map changes.
- The article said the map difference could affect the Kansas City-based Fifth District and potentially shift the state’s congressional delegation from a possible 7–1 Republican split to its existing 6–2 split.
- Kansas City’s election board warned in September that voters might be unable to cast another ballot if courts changed the map after they voted.
- Kansas City Election Board director Shawn Kieffer told Newsweek he had no concerns at that point.
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