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Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public RadioThe new map breaks the Kansas-City-based district of Democrat Emmanuel Cleaver into three in an effort to make it more Republican-leaning. It's already facing a torrent of legal challenges plus an initiative petition campaign to defeat it at the ballot. -
Cara Penquite/Columbia MissourianStarting in late 2026, Missouri drivers will no longer leave car dealerships with a temporary tag, and buyers will have to pay sales tax at the time of purchase.
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At an event in Columbia, Gov. Mike Kehoe said he is confident he was on firm legal ground when he called lawmakers into a special session to redraw maps to benefit Republicans. But with three lawsuits pending, the governor said it was up to the courts to prove him right. -
Phil LeVota, DaRon McGee and Dan Tarwater are the three biggest names being quietly discussed to potentially replace Frank White Jr. if he’s recalled. Here’s how the process would work. -
The Kansas Senate president has been at the forefront of efforts to redraw the boundaries of the state's congressional districts, following hot on the heels of Missouri. It would be Republican lawmaker's second attempt in the last three years to push out Rep. Sharice Davids, the state’s only Democratic representative. -
In past government shutdowns, workers have been put on temporary furloughs until funding resumes. This time, the Trump White House is looking for bigger and more permanent cuts, a new memo shows. That could have a big impact on Kansas City, where tens of thousands of federal employees work. -
The case before the Missouri Supreme Court comes after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar law in Tennessee that bars transgender minors from getting gender-affirming care. -
A recent Missouri law giving the attorney general the sole power to appeal preliminary injunctions in cases involving state law is unconstitutional, a judge ruled this week. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway plans to appeal. -
Some Kansas foster kids suffer 'extreme' instability as state still fails to fix longstanding issuesA new report reflects how Kansas is falling short of some its commitments to improve the state's foster system. -
The amendment placed on Missouri's ballot by Republican lawmakers would repeal the amendment passed last November that restored abortion rights. The legislative proposal will appear on a 2026 statewide ballot as Amendment 3, the same name held by the previous abortion rights amendment. -
The federal government is trying to withhold funds from the state. But there is a way Kansas can keep the money. -
Even as court cases seek to throw out the new redistricting plan approved in the special session, a referendum campaign to put it before voters is gaining momentum. At the same time, campaign committees are preparing to battle over the initiative process. -
Attorneys for the family of Charles Adair, 50, whose death was ruled a homicide, saw body camera footage of his death Tuesday. It showed Wyandotte County deputy sheriff Richard Fatherley kneeling on Adair’s back for a minute and a half, they said. -
President Trump wants Kansas to shift its congressional boundaries to help elect another Republican from the state.
Government
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Even though it’s the offseason, Kansas Rep. Rui Xu says being a legislator is a full-time job.Over the course of a week, on top of his part-time gig as a… -
A growing coalition of groups and citizens wants Wyandotte County to become the first place in Kansas to issue local identification to residents.Advocates… -
The head of the embattled Missouri Public Defender System is stepping down after more than four years on the job. Michael Barrett said he’s resigning… -
Underwire bras may still be setting off the metal detectors at the Jackson County jail, but the standoff over the issue, nicknamed “bra-gate,” has ended —… -
Dave Hardy, an attorney in private practice in Arizona, thinks this is the term when the Supreme Court finally decides whether a constitutional right to… -
The federal public defender's office in Kansas says it’s entitled to nearly $224,000 in legal fees because of prosecutor misconduct in an explosive case… -
People from all over Kansas City packed a city council hearing Wednesday to support a change in the city's marijuana laws. The committee delayed a… -
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 7:15 p.m. to include comments from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.Kansas City, Missouri's longtime City Manager… -
On Friday, when Jerry Bausby got two life sentences for the sexual assault and murder of his 18-year-old daughter, it was the culmination of three years…
Elections
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Though Missouri's Latino population is still relatively small, it’s growing rapidly. Political watchers say the vote could be increasingly influential in future elections, but reaching and convincing Latino voters is not simple. -
State Sen. Denny Hoskins and State Rep. Barbara Phifer are running to become Missouri’s next secretary of state, the top election official in the state. Here's what they said on issues like absentee voting, mail-in ballots, initiative petitions and libraries. -
Kansas law requires all ballots to arrive by three days after Election Day, with a postmark on or before Election Day. But to avoid delays with the U.S. Postal Service, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab is encouraging voters to drop their ballot off in person. -
The Midwest Newsroom partnered with Emerson College Polling to ask registered voters in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska a wide range of questions ahead of the general election. -
Democrats have long enjoyed support from organized labor, but many union members don’t feel a party allegiance any more. Missouri state Rep. Bill Allen, a Republican, and his opponent, Democrat Shirley Mata, a UAW member, both hope to win over dissatisfied voters. -
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, is tackling political issues even as polarization burdens congregations across the country. Plus: Residents near the Lake of the Ozarks hope that approving a new casino could help bring in more tax revenue and fund some long-needed infrastructure projects. -
Missouri voters: Oct. 9 is your deadline to register to vote for the November election. The deadline for Kansas is Oct. 15. -
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, is tackling political issues even as polarization burdens congregations across the country. -
Derron Black is running as a Republican for the first time for a Missouri Senate district in Kansas City's urban core. He says local Democratic leadership has failed to get his community what it needs, and that voters are ready to look elsewhere for help. Plus: What Missouri voters should know about the 2024 races for secretary of state and treasurer.
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A new survey from The Midwest Newsroom and Emerson College Polling Center asked registered voters in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska about measures on Nov. 5 ballots as well as a variety of political, social and economic subjects.
