Missouri Attorney General Blocks Voter Referendum on GOP Gerrymander

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) Friday rejected a referendum petition aimed at overturning the GOP’s extreme gerrymander — escalating the state’s power grab into an outright attack on Missourians’ constitutional rights.

The pro-voting coalition People Not Politicians filed the referendum with the Secretary of State earlier this month to give voters the chance to weigh in on House Bill 1. That’s the mid-decade congressional map passed this month, designed to dismantle Kansas City’s 5th District and lock in a 7-1 Republican stranglehold on Missouri’s U.S. House delegation.

But Hanaway’s office declined to certify the petition, citing Article III, Section 50 of the Missouri Constitution — the section dealing with initiative petitions, not referendums. 

Missouri’s referendum right, existing since at least 1945, is guaranteed under a different section — Article III, Section 52(a) — which explicitly states voters may demand a referendum on laws passed by the General Assembly.

Voting rights advocates say the move is a blatant effort to sabotage voters’ ability to fight against the partisan gerrymander.

“People Not Politicians is taking action — Missourians have a constitutional right to exercise a citizen’s veto over the unwanted actions of the General Assembly, and we are doing just that,” Richard Von Glahn, the group’s executive director said. “We’ve had thousands sign the petition already, and so far over 2,400 Missourians have volunteered to gather signatures — a number that continues to grow each day. People, not politicians, will decide this issue. We are confident the courts will side with Missourians’ constitutional right to a referendum, as they always have.”

The coalition says it will continue gathering signatures while preparing a legal challenge to force the state to follow the constitution. 

Missouri courts have a long record of defending referendum rights — most recently in 2022, when the state Supreme Court threw out legislative attempts to block a referendum on a sweeping abortion ban.

The move sets up another showdown between Missouri voters determined to use their constitutional power to check the legislature and GOP politicians intent on silencing them. If the referendum is certified and enough signatures gathered, the gerrymander would be suspended until voters weigh in during the 2026 elections.

If not, Missouri Republicans will have succeeded in stripping away both fair representation and the people’s constitutional veto.