Missouri constitution

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office argued that the anti-redistricting referendum attempt violates the state and U.S. constitutions by infringing on the legislature's sole authority to draw maps. The federal case is one of multiple legal battles over state lawmakers' mid-decade redistricting effort.

Missouri lawmakers in 2022 passed a sweeping elections bill that included a photo ID requirement to vote and limitations on registering voters. Challenges to both provisions were heard at the Missouri Supreme in separate cases.

A three-judge federal panel struck down Texas' new congressional map on racial gerrymandering grounds. Challenges to Missouri's map don't involve the same type of claim.

Depending on the timing, a Supreme Court ruling that weakens Voting Rights Act protections against racial discrimination may lead to more states redrawing congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.

The office of Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is arguing in court that Missouri's 2022 congressional map, which was drawn by the Republican-dominated legislature, should not have preserved a majority-Black district in the St. Louis area. But that argument may also hurt the GOP's newly-redrawn map as well.

Missouri doesn't have a marquee statewide race next year. But the results of some contests, including a Republican-written ballot measure to undo abortion rights, could be a big sign of a Democratic wave or continued GOP dominance.

Advocacy group People Not Politicians has until mid-December to collect more than 100,000 signatures across six of Missouri's eight congressional districts. But Missouri's Republican secretary of state rejected more than 90,000 signatures the group already collected.

Opponents argue the Missouri Constitution is clear that lawmakers can only redraw congressional maps after a certified census, while the state said nothing prohibits mid-decade redistricting.

A Missouri anti-redistricting group gathered more than 200,000 signatures to force a vote on the recently redrawn congressional map. Now, national Republican groups are investing $100,000 to defend the map.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, Missouri's top election official, wrote the ballot language for a referendum that would overturn Republicans' recently gerrymandered congressional map. Even though the language is supposed to be unbiased, it would tell voters that the old map "protects incumbent politicians."

Procedural abortions are available at three Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri, but medication abortions remain completely unavailable as numerous legal fights unfold over the state's restrictions.

Nurse practitioners and midwives have been pushing to get the law changed in Missouri, but haven’t made any progress. Now, one Columbia nurse is suing the state.