Full Breakdown
Missouri Set to Use Contested Congressional Map in August Primary
6/13/2026, 1:17:07 PM
Contested Map Moves Toward August Primary
Missouri’s Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is preparing to certify a newly drawn congressional map for the Aug. 4 primary despite an ambiguous Missouri Supreme Court ruling that left the map’s legal status “impossible to say” until Hoskins decides. The map, dubbed the “Missouri First Map,” slices Kansas City into three Republican-leaning districts and is intended to replace the 2022 boundaries for the 2025 congressional cycle and the 2026 midterm elections.
Origins and Legal Battle
Republican legislators approved the map last year under pressure from the Trump administration, aiming to unseat 11-term Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. A statewide “People Not Politicians” referendum campaign gathered more than 305,000 signatures to place a vote on the map on the November ballot. Hoskins previously rejected the petition and discarded nearly 90,000 signatures. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway opened an investigation into the campaign, while a national Republican-backed political-action committee entered the litigation.
Timeline of Key Developments
- 2023 – Map approved by Republican-controlled legislature.
- May 2024 – Missouri Supreme Court upholds map’s legality but declines to declare it in effect.
- June 19 2024 – Deadline for finalizing military and overseas ballots.
- June 2024 – Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green moves hearing to July, effectively preventing ballot changes before the primary.
- July 2024 – Hoskins’ office reports all counties except Osage and Reynolds have updated voter-registration systems.
- Aug. 4 2024 – Primary election day; Hoskins retains authority to certify the referendum for the November ballot.
Data & Statistics
- 305,000+ signatures submitted for referendum.
- 90,000 signatures tossed by Hoskins.
- 2 counties (Osage, Reynolds) not yet updated to new districts.
- 6 Republican candidates filed for the 5th District primary.
- 11 terms served by Rep. Cleaver.
Official Positions & Responses
Secretary of State Hoskins described the map as “the most compact and contiguous” he has worked on and expressed pleasure that it “prevails.” His spokesperson Anne Marie Moy confirmed that all counties except two have completed registration updates. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the map’s legality while deferring its effect pending Hoskins’ certification decision. The People Not Politicians campaign seeks a November referendum to suspend the map retroactively.
Opposition and Legal Concerns
Critics argue the map violates fair-representation principles and could render the primary invalid. Attorney Chuck Hatfield warned that using “the wrong maps” may lead courts to void the election and order a redo. The referendum’s executive director, Richard Von Glahn, warned that “the state is conducting an election that may not be valid.” Hanaway’s interview emphasized that “delay works in our favor” for maintaining the status quo.
Local Election Officials’ View
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, who previously refused to apply the map, now prepares for its use, noting officials must “do our best with the understanding that we might still have to redo the August election” and stressing consistency at the local level.
Conflicting Interpretations & Gaps
The Supreme Court’s ruling left the map’s enforceability ambiguous, creating a legal vacuum until Hoskins decides. The timeline for certifying the November referendum remains uncertain, and the impact of the two counties still using old boundaries on overall election integrity is unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The state is conducting an election that may not be valid,” — Richard Von Glahn, Executive Director, People Not Politicians
- “As long as the status quo is the new maps, delay works in our favor,” — Catherine Hanaway, Attorney General of Missouri
- “We’re all trying to do our best with the understanding that we might still have to redo the August election,” — Brianna Lennon, Boone County Clerk
- “If we use the wrong maps, I think the most likely result is we have an invalid primary,” — Chuck Hatfield, Attorney, People Not Politicians
- “If the court does what they’re supposed to do, and interprets the Constitution for what it says, not what they hope it says, I have zero issue, I have zero worry that they’re going to rule against (the map),” — Rick Brattin, State Senator
Outlook
Hoskins must decide by Aug. 4 whether to certify the referendum, a choice that will determine whether the contested map stands for the primary and potentially for the 2026 midterms. The August primary is expected to trigger a wave of lawsuits, and the November referendum will likely decide the map’s ultimate fate.
