Missouri Congressional Redistricting Referendum Rejection Challenge

A pro-voting lawsuit seeking to stop the Secretary of State from rejecting a referendum to veto Missouri’s new gerrymandered map.

Background

People Not Politicians, and its executive director, Richard von Glahn, filed a lawsuit in state court challenging the Republican secretary of state’s rejection of a ballot measure that would veto the GOP-controlled state legislature’s new gerrymandered map. Plaintiffs assert the secretary of state refused to process the referendum paperwork and declared already obtained signatures invalid because the governor had not signed the redistricting legislation. The lawsuit asserts violations of the state constitution and state law, and seeks to have the referendum approved and signatures properly processed without further interference from GOP officials. 

Why It Matters

In September, Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed into law a new congressional map that dilutes the voting strength of Black voters in Kansas City. People Not Politicians has sought to obtain the 106,000 Missouri voter signatures required to put a “people’s veto” of the gerrymander on the statewide ballot. GOP officials in the state have sought to create obstacles for the ballot measure’s organizers — including filing a lawsuit of their own.

Latest Updates

• Apr. 27, 2026: Parties will provide the court a response on the status of signatures that have been submitted to the Secretary of State.
• Apr. 9, 2026: Defendants informed the lower court of the Court of Appeals denial of plaintiffs’ petition.
• Apr. 7, 2026: The Court of Appeals denied plaintiffs’ petition, allowing the lower court judge to keep the case paused pending the signature verification process. The lower court held a status hearing.
• Apr. 6, 2026: Defendants filed their opposition to plaintiffs’ petition in the Court of Appeals.
• Apr. 1, 2026: Plaintiffs filed a petition with the Court of Appeals asking the court to order the lower court judge to either dismiss the case or enter final judgment.
• Mar. 17, 2026: The court held a status hearing and stated it will continue to pause the case.
• Mar. 16, 2026: Defendants filed their oppositions to plaintiffs’ motion to end the pause on the case.
• Mar. 9, 2026: Plaintiffs filed a notice that they will ask the court to end the pause and to render judgment at the Mar. 17 hearing.
• Mar. 6, 2026: Plaintiffs filed a motion to end the pause on the case and to render judgment in light of signature certification almost reaching the required threshold for the referendum to move forward.
• Feb. 17, 2026: The court held a status hearing and will continue to pause the case pending the signature verification process.
• Jan. 13, 2026: The court held a status hearing and stated it will continue to pause the case pending verification of “valid” signatures.
• Jan. 12, 2026: Plaintiffs asked the court to issue final judgment in light of the Secretary of State’s determination that some signatures were “invalid” and would not be verified.
• Jan. 5, 2026: Plaintiffs notified the court that the Secretary of State had separated “valid” from “invalid” signatures – a distinction determined by the date in which the signature was gathered – and had begun to verify the “valid” signatures.
• Dec. 12, 2025: The court deferred ruling on the case until the 300,000 submitted signatures have been certified or rejected by the Secretary of State. Put Missouri First filed their answer to plaintiffs’ first amended complaint.
• Dec. 8, 2025: A court conducted a trial.
• Dec. 4, 2025: The court heard arguments on defendants’ motion to dismiss and addressed additional pending motions before trial.
• Nov. 25, 2025: Defendants filed a motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ first amended complaint.
• Nov. 24, 2025: Defendants filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
• Nov. 13, 2025: Put Missouri First was granted intervention as defendants.
• Nov. 12, 2025: Put Missouri First seeks to intervene as defendants.
• Nov. 3, 2025: Trial will be rescheduled.
• Sept. 29, 2025: Plaintiffs filed their first amended complaint.
• Sept. 18, 2025: Plaintiffs filed their complaint.