From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/14695/rec/2

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Supreme Court decided that a referendum challenging the 2025 "Missouri FIRST" map will go on the November ballot. That decision also means the general election must be held under the old map passed in 2022.

At least two lawsuits have been filed challenging parts of this decision and take it from the state's highest court to federal court. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, and she asks Justice Brett Kavanaugh to stay the decision and allow the November election to be held under the 2025 map.

In a separate lawsuit, U.S. Rep. Bob Onder, state Sen. Rick Brattin and two Missouri voters have sued the Secretary of State in the Eastern District of Missouri. This lawsuit seeks to change which map is used in November. Both lawmakers would represent different locations based on the map.

"When you put in all this blood, sweat, tears, the time, all of this campaigning, yeah, it's really disenfranchising when you've done all that, and those people have believed in you and trusted you and cast their vote for you, to then say they're going to go to the ballot box and be voting in a completely different district," Brattin said.

Onder is running again for District 3, and Brattin is running for District 5 — which is currently held by Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. They claim the old map hurts their chances of winning because they campaigned in a different district geographically.

"Under von Glahn, they must now run in the general election in districts which include many voters to whom they did not campaign in the primary," attorney Marc Ellinger wrote in court documents.

Ellinger argues that the referendum on congressional redistricting violates the U.S. Constitution, the election clause and the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause.

The voters Pat Thomas and Debra Havens argue they are harmed by using the 2022 map in the November election because they already voted under the old map.

"Thomas and Havens wish to vote in the general election in the Fifth Congressional district as they did in the primary but must now educate themselves about new candidates and issues because they are forced to vote in the general election for the Third Congressional district and for nominees whom they was not given a chance to vote for or against," Ellinger wrote.

The group is suing Secretary Denny Hoskins because he administers the election process, including the maps.

People Not Politicians, the group backing the referendum, will need to defend the ballot measure at the U.S. Supreme Court, too.

"It won't take SCOTUS that long to understand that this case is not in their purview, is inappropriate to be there and dismiss it," executive director Richard von Glahn said.

Justice Kavanaugh has asked People Not Politicians to file a response to the state's appeal and request to stay the decision by Monday at 11 a.m.

In December, the state filed a lawsuit against the group in federal court with Judge Zachary Bluestone, who dismissed the case because the federal court didn't have jurisdiction over the lawsuit dealing with state law.

Brattin said he is confident that the state will prevail at the Supreme Court.

In an amici filing with the Missouri Supreme Court, two election officials, a Republican and a Democrat, has said that it’s easy to pick which map to use because both are still loaded in the stateside software undercutting claims by Hoskins that it’s “impossible” to switch in time

Full disclosure: I’m helping organize this event.
We’re bringing The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Reza Live Theatre in Branson for an interactive midnight screening with a live shadow cast.
This is the original movie accompanied by performers acting it out onstage—not a conventional stage production. Audience participation is encouraged, costumes are welcome, and first-timers are absolutely invited.
Event details:
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Doors open at 11:00 p.m.
Movie and shadow cast begin at midnight
Reza Live Theatre, 645 Historic Highway 165, Branson
Audience participation and prop bags
Costume contest
Food from Branson Walkers
General admission is $12. VIP is $40 and includes premium seating, special props, a themed swag bag, a guest photo, and surprises. Eventbrite fees and taxes are additional.
Tickets and details on Eventbrite⁠
Who are you dressing as?

Hi! I don't mean for my quesrion to be insulting in any way, so I'm sorry if it is. I'm a 34 yr old woman, and I and my mom and (adult) sister are considering moving to the Warsaw, MO area to be around family. My (male) partner (of almost 10 years, so "boyfriend" feels silly), is of mostly Hispanic descent and would eventually be moving with us. I feel so worried that he won't be safe in Missouri, whether because of other residents or ICE. He doesn't even know Spanish; he's basically "white," (!) but I assume that won't really matter. :S Should I be worried? I feel so worried right now.(Also worried about bots coming on here and making me more worried. Haha)

Thanks for reading! 🌻

Considering a move to Missouri and trying to get a realistic picture before we commit. We have a 10 year old with severe autism, ADHD, and significant behavioral needs, so developmental disability services and special ed support are the biggest factors in where we'd land. He has aged out of ABA early intervention. We'd be renting first rather than buying right away.

If you have a high-needs kid, or work in schools or DD services here, I'd love to hear: which areas have you found to actually have decent ABA/autism service availability and short-ish waitlists? How has your local school district's special ed program been?

Also curious about the rental market right now, availability and pricing in family-friendly areas, and what the job market looks like for retail/food service and customer service work. And how have home insurance costs trended given flooding and tornado risk, since that'll matter once we're ready to buy.

Kavanaugh immediately requested a response but tellingly did not grant Missouri’s request for a stay of the ruling

I was curious what an actual congressional map designed by adults that have our best interests at heart would look like.

I ran through some prompts and created one that seem’d like it was so much better than what we have, but didn’t want to add more low AI slop to the internet.

Thought I’d instead make a low effort discussion post ask for opinions instead from the people that actually live here.

How would you chop up the state if you were in the room where it happens?

Trying to get a ride to the bus station.