Missouri high court upholds map that splits KC three ways
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The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously upheld Missouri's new congressional map, clearing the way for it to be used in the Aug. 4 primary.
Why it matters: The map redraws the boundaries of the districts KC voters choose to represent in Washington and is expected to give Republicans an additional seat in the U.S. House.
Catch up quick: Congressional districts decide which voters elect each member of the U.S. House.
- They are usually redrawn once every 10 years after the census. Still, Missouri Republicans pushed through a new map last fall at the request of President Trump, who is trying to keep his party's slim majority in Congress through the 2026 midterms.
- Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the "Missouri First" map last September after a special legislative session.
Under the previous map, most of Kansas City sat in a single, compact 5th District held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The new map splits the city into the 4th, 5th and 6th congressional districts.
- The new 5th stretches 200 miles east through 14 counties to Columbia. The 4th reaches 150 miles south to Dade County.
- Much of the boundary between the 4th and 5th runs along Troost Avenue, the street used to enforce racial segregation in KC for much of the 20th century.
Context: The court ruled on two lawsuits brought by Missouri voters.
- One argued the map violates a state constitutional rule that districts be "compact." Chief Justice W. Brent Powell wrote that the challengers failed to prove the map "clearly and undoubtedly" breaks that rule.
- The other argued the map should be paused while voters try to overturn it through a statewide referendum.
- The court ruled that a referendum does not automatically halt a law before signatures are verified, but it left the referendum effort itself intact.
What they're saying: "The Missouri FIRST Map stands, the rule of law is vindicated, and Missouri voters can have confidence that their legislature's work has been upheld," Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said on X.
- Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, the 11-term Democrat and former KC mayor who holds the current 5th District seat, said he disagrees with the ruling but believes "the will of the people and the voters will prevail," per his statement.
- Mayor Quinton Lucas on X: "We'll meet again at the ballot box."
What's next: The campaign People Not Politicians filed roughly 300,000 signatures in December, more than double the threshold needed to put the map on the November ballot. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has until August to verify them.
- If enough signatures are validated, voters could repeal the map on Nov. 3. But Hoskins has already said it's "too far along" to swap maps for the 2026 election, meaning even a successful referendum likely wouldn't apply until future races.