Federal Judge Rejects Missouri AG’s Bid to Halt Vote on GOP-Drawn Map

Missouri- A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway seeking to block a referendum on the state’s newly gerrymandered congressional map, allowing a voter challenge to proceed. U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone ruled Monday that he lacked jurisdiction, saying issues surrounding redistricting referendums must be resolved under state, not federal, law.

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The decision arrives amid a parallel state court case: just hours earlier, a Cole County courtroom heard arguments over when petition signatures can be collected and which signatures count if submitted this week. That trial — part of a broader fight over whether gathering could begin before the map became law — wrapped but has not yet produced a ruling.

The referendum drive is led by the grassroots group People Not Politicians, which has submitted over 300,000 signatures, nearly three times the roughly 110,000 needed to force a statewide vote. PNP argues its petition meets the conditions spelled out in the Missouri Constitution, which grants citizens the right to refer “any act of the General Assembly” to voters.

Still, state officials aren’t out of options. Under state law, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins retains the authority to review and declare petitions unconstitutional. If he rejects them, the map could proceed as planned. If not, the redistricting plan — which critics say was drawn with backing from former President Donald Trump and engineered to give Republicans control of seven of Missouri’s eight congressional districts — will remain frozen until voters decide in 2026.

What happens next depends on how quickly Hoskins acts and whether state courts settle the signature-validity battle. If the petitions stand, Missouri voters may play a decisive role in determining congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections