Dueling Court Rulings Throw Missouri's Congressional Races Into Chaos
Missouri's upcoming congressional elections face unprecedented uncertainty after conflicting orders from a federal judge and the U.S. Supreme Court left the state with two different sets of congressional maps.
The short version
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's emergency request on September 8, 2026, to stay a Missouri Supreme Court ruling that mandated the use of the 2022 congressional map.
- Hours later on September 8, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order, effective for 14 days, blocking officials from using any map other than House Bill 1 (HB 1), the 2025 Republican-drawn map.
- The Missouri Supreme Court had unanimously ruled on September 3, 2026, that the 2025 map could not be used without voter approval, ordering the older 2022 map for the November 2026 election.
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway stated the state would comply with Judge Clark's order, despite previous warnings of
- unprecedented chaos
- if maps were switched before elections.
- The legal dispute originated from a June 2025 call by former President Donald Trump for Republican-controlled states, including Missouri, to redraw their maps mid-decade.
Missouri's congressional races for the November 2026 midterm elections have been plunged into chaos following a series of conflicting judicial orders regarding the state's electoral maps. On September 8, 2026, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's request to halt a state Supreme Court decision that had mandated the use of older district boundaries. Just hours later on the same day, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order blocking the use of any map other than the controversial Republican-drawn map, House Bill 1 (HB 1), leaving election officials in a state of confusion.
What led to this situation?
The current mapping dispute stems from a mid-decade push for redistricting. In June 2025, former President Donald Trump urged Republican-controlled states, including Missouri, to redraw their congressional maps to potentially benefit the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections. Responding to this, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe called a special legislative session in August 2025, an unusual move as redistricting typically occurs once every ten years.
House Bill 1, the Republican-drawn map, passed the Missouri House by a 90-65 vote on September 9, 2025, and the Senate by a 21-11 vote on September 12, 2025. Governor Kehoe signed HB 1 into law on September 28, 2025, with the stated aim of increasing Republican representation.
Opponents, led by the group “People Not Politicians,” gathered over 300,000 petition signatures in December 2025 to force a statewide referendum on HB 1. They argued the new map violated the Missouri Constitution's compactness requirement and diluted minority votes in Kansas City, impacting the 5th Congressional District, represented by longtime Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected these petitions, asserting that the state's Constitution does not allow referendums on congressional redistricting, leading to the series of lawsuits that have followed.
What were the dueling court decisions?
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously on September 3, 2026, that the 2025 Republican-drawn map (HB 1) could not be used unless approved by voters. The court ordered the use of the 2022 map for the November 2026 election. This decision was met with strong objections from state Republican officials.
On September 8, 2026, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's emergency request to stay the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling. This decision meant the state's highest court's order to use the 2022 map remained in effect.
However, later on the same day, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark in St. Louis issued a temporary restraining order, effective for 14 days. This federal order blocked officials from using any map other than House Bill 1 (the Republican-drawn map) for the 2026 midterms. Judge Clark, a Trump appointee, reasoned that changing maps between primary and general elections could effectively nullify some voters' primary ballots and
Frequently asked questions
Which congressional map are Missouri election officials supposed to use?
Due to the conflicting judicial orders, there is no clear directive. The Missouri Supreme Court ordered the use of the 2022 map, while Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order blocking the use of any map other than the 2025 Republican-drawn map (HB 1) for 14 days.
What is the next step in resolving the mapping dispute?
Opponents of Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark's order have moved to pause his ruling and have already appealed to a federal appeals court, according to Democracy Docket. Further legal actions are anticipated as parties seek clarity before the November 2026 elections.
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