Eighth Circuit Upholds Missouri's 2025 Congressional Map for 2026 Election
The Eighth Circuit ruled Missouri must use its 2025 district map in November 2026.
Why it matters: This ruling prevents Missouri from changing congressional districts mid-election cycle, impacting election administration and redistricting disputes. Legal professionals and policymakers must adapt to this precedent amid ongoing challenges to gerrymandering and voter representation.
- On Sept. 21, 2026, the Eighth Circuit ordered Missouri to use the 2025 congressional map for the November 2026 elections, blocking mid-cycle changes.
- The 2025 map, passed through House Bill 1, favors Republicans with seven of eight seats by redrawing districts including parts of Kansas City.
- Missouri Supreme Court had blocked the 2025 map over a referendum petition by People Not Politicians, who gathered 300,000+ signatures, ordering use of the older 2022 map.
- The Eighth Circuit paused enforcement until Sept. 28, 2026, allowing time for potential U.S. Supreme Court review.
On September 21, 2026, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Missouri must use the congressional district map it adopted in 2025 for the November 2026 elections.
The 2025 map was enacted via House Bill 1 by Missouri's Republican-controlled legislature. It increases Republican-held seats from six to seven by redrawing districts, notably splitting Kansas City across multiple districts. Critics argue this diminishes representation for both urban and rural communities.
Previously, the Missouri Supreme Court blocked the 2025 map after People Not Politicians, a political reform group, filed a referendum petition. This petition, supported by over 300,000 signatures, challenged the map through Missouri’s referendum process, which allows citizens to reject legislation through voter approval. The court ordered election officials to use the 2022 map for the upcoming election instead.
The Eighth Circuit's ruling prevents Missouri from switching district maps between the August primary and the November general election, citing constitutional principles that prohibit mid-cycle changes. The court stated, "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." Enforcement of the ruling was stayed until September 28, 2026, providing time for a potential appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
This ruling presents logistical challenges as some local officials had already sent out absentee ballots based on the 2022 map. Additionally, the public vote on the 2025 map remains unresolved, prolonging political and legal uncertainty.
Legal professionals should monitor how this ruling affects broader issues such as gerrymandering, voter representation, and election law compliance ahead of the 2026 midterms.
By the numbers:
- 300,000+ signatures — collected by People Not Politicians to trigger the referendum petition against the 2025 map
- Sept. 21, 2026 — date when the Eighth Circuit issued its ruling
- Sept. 28, 2026 — deadline for potential enforcement pause allowing U.S. Supreme Court appeal
Yes, but: The ruling preserves the 2025 map for now, but since the Missouri referendum process remains unresolved, further legal and political disputes are likely, creating continued uncertainty for election officials and voters.
What's next: The Eighth Circuit's stay lasts until September 28, 2026. The Missouri Republican Party or others may seek U.S. Supreme Court review, which could set broader precedents on mid-cycle redistricting and referenda.