redistricting

The group People Not Politicians has reportedly collected 200,000 signatures — almost 100,000 more than needed — to get a measure on the 2026 ballot. The ballot measure would give Missourians a chance to vote on the Trump-backed map that could deny 5th District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, one of two democrats in the state, his seat.

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.

Without citing evidence, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway accused a signature-gathering company of “reportedly employing illegal aliens" in its efforts to overturn the gerrymandered congressional map. Hanaway said she's opened an investigation and referred the matter to ICE.

The complaint says that Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway did not have the authority to list the legislature as a plaintiff in a redistricting lawsuit without its input.

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 Republican National Committee is targeting voters to remove their names from a referendum petition that could overturned Missouri's recently redrawn congressional map. A lawsuit is already underway over whether Missouri's Secretary of State improperly threw out tens of thousands of signatures.

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.

Kansas Republican leaders couldn't rally enough support this fall for a special session on redistricting. It's just one example of lawmakers pushing back on a new round of partisan gerrymandering.

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.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desire to eliminate the state income tax is an ambitious goal given the projected $1 billion shortfall in general revenue next fiscal year. He joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss how the plan could take shape.

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.