Missouri Secretary of State Referendum Damages Challenge

A pro-voting lawsuit seeking $80 million in damages for Secretary of State Hoskins’ refusal to certify a legal redistricting referendum. 

Background

Five Missouri voters filed a class action lawsuit in state court against Secretary of State Dennis Hoskins (R) seeking $80 million in damages for 162,000 Missourians who signed the redistricting referendum petition. Plaintiffs assert state law allows for compensation when a Secretary of State “neglect[s] or refuse[s] to perform any of the duties enjoined on him by law.” Plaintiffs argue Hoskins’ refusal to comply with the Missouri Supreme Court’s order to certify the referendum and implement the 2022 map for the midterm election violates state law and entitles certified class members to compensation. The lawsuit seeks certification of the 162,000 proposed class members and $500 for each certified member. 

Why It Matters

Hoskins sought to create obstacles for referendum organizers and Missouri voters at every step since the gerrymandered map was passed by the Legislature in Sept. 2025. After the state supreme court ordered Hoskins to implement the 2022 map for the midterms, a Republican congressional candidate filed a federal lawsuit and obtained a temporary injunction requiring use of the gerrymandered map. Instead of waiting for the courts to weigh in on which map was in place for the midterms, Hoskins immediately ordered local election officials to use the gerrymandered map that the state supreme court explicitly ordered Hoskins not use because it “never went into effect.” Hoskins only backtracked moments before the state supreme court found him in contempt.

Latest Updates

• Sept. 11, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their petition.