Missouri referendum bid filed to block mid‑cycle House map; 300k signatures submitted
Opponents of a Trump-backed mid‑cycle U.S. House map in Missouri submitted more than 300,000 signatures — well above the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the map — and those petitions must now be verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who argues the referendum is unconstitutional. If validated the measure would likely appear on the November 2026 ballot unless the legislature sets an earlier date; the campaign group People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million (mostly out of state) while GOP-aligned groups have spent over $2 million, part of a broader mid‑decade redistricting battle that includes the Supreme Court’s recent approval of a new Texas map for 2026.
📌 Key Facts
- Opponents submitted more than 300,000 signatures seeking a statewide referendum to block a mid‑cycle/ mid‑decade House redistricting plan in Missouri, well above the roughly 110,000 signatures needed to suspend the new map.
- Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins says the referendum is unconstitutional; submitted signatures must be verified by local election authorities and the Secretary of State’s office before moving forward.
- If the signatures are validated, the referendum would appear on the November 2026 ballot unless the Missouri legislature sets an earlier election date when its session begins in January.
- The referendum effort is supported by the campaign group People Not Politicians, which has raised about $5 million (mostly from out of state), while GOP-aligned groups have spent more than $2 million to support the new map.
- The Missouri effort is part of a broader mid‑decade redistricting push nationally; the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed Texas’s new map to be used in 2026, underscoring similar legal and political battles elsewhere.
📊 Relevant Data
In the 2020 presidential election in Missouri, 88% of Black voters supported Joe Biden, compared to 36% of White voters, with Black voters comprising 10% of the electorate and White voters 86%.
Missouri Voter Surveys: How Different Groups Voted — The New York Times
The new Missouri congressional map changes the 5th District's baseline partisanship from D+23 to R+17 by incorporating rural Republican-leaning counties and diluting urban Democratic concentration.
A Detailed Analysis of Missouri’s New Congressional Map — Inside Elections
The new Missouri congressional map results in an 8.5% increase in White residents and a 9.1% decrease in minority residents in the 5th District.
New Missouri congressional map splits KC minority voters — The Kansas City Star
The president's party has averaged a loss of 28 House seats in the 22 midterm elections from 1934 to 2018.
The 2022 Midterm Elections: What the Historical Data Suggest — American Presidency Project
📰 Sources (2)
- Opponents submitted more than 300,000 signatures to force a statewide referendum, exceeding the ~110,000 needed to suspend the new map.
- Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins argues the referendum is unconstitutional; signatures must be verified by local election authorities and the SOS.
- If validated, the referendum would appear on the November 2026 ballot unless the legislature sets an earlier date in the session beginning January.
- The campaign group People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million (mostly out-of-state) while GOP-aligned groups have spent over $2 million to support the new map.
- Context: Part of a broader mid‑decade redistricting push; the U.S. Supreme Court just allowed Texas’s new map to be used in 2026.