8th Circuit rules Missouri must use 2025 congressional map in November election – kmbc.com

8th Circuit rules Missouri must use 2025 congressional map in November election  kmbc.com

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday said Missouri must use its 2025 congressional map in this November's election. The ruling comes as a result of a federal lawsuit filed by State Sen. Rick Brattin and Rep. Bob Onder. The court heard arguments from both sides last Thursday. “The Constitution does not permit Missouri to use a different congressional district map in the November 2026 general election than it used in the August 2026 primary election,” the court said in its ruling. In its opinion, the court cited that more than 1.4 million Missourians live in different districts under the two maps and that 284,000 people who voted in one district during the primary would be placed in a different district.

The court said the order will be stayed until 5 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2026 to allow time for an appeal. "Without any stay, Secretary Hoskins and local election authorities would be required to immediately begin implementing the 2025 map before the Supreme Court receives or decides any appeal," the ruling said. Judge David Stras concurred in part and dissented in part. While he acknowledged a “probable violation” of Article I, Section 2, Stras argued that People Not Politicians and Richard von Glahn lacked standing to appeal the case. People Not Politicians said it will appeal the