Missouri Democrats secured a victory in their effort to block state Republicans’ attempts to redraw the congressional map before the 2026 elections, gathering enough petition signatures to put the matter to a general vote.
People Not Politicians, which is leading the effort to block the new Republican-drawn map that unseats one of the last two Democrat-held seats in the state, said it submitted over 305,000 signatures to Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, well above the 107,000 needed, Politico reported.
“Missouri voters are going to be the final deciders on this issue,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director for People Not Politicians. “Our democracy belongs to us, not to politicians, and we’re going to have the final say.”
Hoskins’s office will verify the signatures, and if the petition is deemed valid, it will be put up for a referendum in November 2026. However, even if voters vote in favor of the map, it will be suspended until after the 2026 elections, when Republicans are hoping to secure every seat they can.
MISSOURI GOVERNOR SIGNS CONGRESSIONAL MAP INTO LAW BUT FACES LEGAL CHALLENGES
Redistricting reentered the national dialogue in August when Texas unveiled an aggressive plan to strip Democrats of five House seats, threatening a nationwide gerrymandering arms race. Several red states followed suit when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) unveiled his plan for retaliation, which was approved in a subsequent ballot initiative.
Redistricting efforts across the country have sparked extensive legal battles, with some cases reaching the Supreme Court. The push for redistricting has been encouraged by President Donald Trump, who is hoping to maintain his legislative majority in 2026.
