COLUMBIA — The People Not Politicians campaign, which challenged Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map, has responded to an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court from the state.
After the group submitted a petition to place the map up for a statewide vote in December, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins refused to certify it hours before the legal deadline — which also fell on the August primary election date.
Hoskins stated that the referendum's basis was unconstitutional, prompting another lawsuit in circuit court and an appeal of the judge's decision to the Missouri Supreme Court.
The Missouri Supreme Court, in its unanimous opinion issued Thursday, said the gerrymandered map did not take effect on its intended date, Dec. 11, because a sufficient referendum petition was filed on Dec. 9.
"Regardless of any confusion, expense, or practical difficulties caused by the secretary's delay and incorrect assumption about whether the referendum petition would be deemed sufficient, simply continuing to utilize the congressional redistricting in HB 1 does not comport with the Missouri Constitution because the 2022 map is the only map in effect," Judge Ginger K. Gooch wrote.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway asked the Missouri Supreme Court to halt its decision from taking effect, but she was ultimately denied.
This led her to file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, while Republican allies made an appeal to the Eastern District Court of Missouri.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who oversees emergency appeals for the region, requested People Not Politicians respond by noon Monday. The deadline to finalize the November ballot is Tuesday.
The response
People Not Politicians argued that the state's appeal did not present a real emergency, as the gerrymandered map, dubbed the Missouri First map by its supporters, legally never took effect.
In People Not Politicians' response, the campaign committee also said since the case was settled on state law, the U.S. Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction.
The group argued that the Missouri Constitution grants its citizens "power to approve or reject by referendum any act of the general assembly," with some exceptions.
Further, it said once legislation has been referred to the people, it "shall take effect when approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon, and not otherwise," according to the Missouri Constitution.
People Not Politicians argued that because of this, a stay or halt in the decision would add more confusion, since the gerrymandered map was suspended by the referendum petition.
Hoskins argued that "confusion, expense, and practical difficulties ... may result" if the redrawn map were not used in November. People Not Politicians cited Jackson County election officials who said the switch was possible.
"We are equipped to make the necessary changes," the election officials are quoted as saying in the response from People Not Politicians. "It will take some work on our end, but we will be ready."
Hoskins' and other state Republicans' arguments, including in a separate federal appeal, also presented an issue that some primary voters would vote in a different district in the general election under the 2022 map.
U.S. Rep. Bob Onder, R-Mo., and state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, who is running for Congress, appealed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri to reverse the decision, with each stating they would have to advocate to new voters they had not yet campaigned for.
People Not Politicians said this does not represent a constitutional violation, since all qualified voters had an equal opportunity to vote in the primary and will again have the same opportunity in the general election.
The group pointed to Missouri law that states a party nominee could be replaced if they die, are disqualified or voluntarily withdraw. Therefore, it argued, a voter's primary ballot doesn't carry an absolute entitlement to vote for that same nominee in November.
Background
The Missouri General Assembly enacted HB 1 on Sept. 12, 2025, with the new map scheduled to take effect Dec. 11, 2025.
People Not Politicians Missouri delivered over 300,000 signatures, more than twice the required number, the group said, to the Secretary of State's Office on Dec. 9, 2025, according to the response.
Hoskins denied the petition on Aug. 4 in a single sentence: "I find the referendum petition insufficient under the Missouri Constitution because the Missouri Constitution does not authorize a referendum on congressional redistricting plans passed by the General Assembly."
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