Missouri Referendum Backers Say They Can Still Block GOP Gerrymander

When Republicans in Missouri claimed last week that a gerrymandered congressional map was already in effect, they dealt a major blow to voters who want the final word in the state’s redistricting battle.

But pro-voter organizers say there’s still a path forward for voters to block the map — and they’re ready to keep fighting. 

Missouri Republicans passed the new congressional map earlier this year at President Donald Trump’s behest. If it comes into effect, it could eliminate one of the state’s two seats currently held by Democrats. 

But the Missouri Constitution gives voters the power to veto acts of the legislature by gathering signatures and putting a referendum measure on the ballot. Last week, advocacy group People Not Politicians submitted more than 300,000 signatures – far more than the number required — to the state. Now, the map should be paused until Missourians have the opportunity to vote on the gerrymander, they say. 

But Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins claimed the map won’t be paused until after the signatures are verified – a significant delay tactic that, if successful, would likely allow Republicans to run the 2026 election using the new map. 

At a Wednesday media briefing, People Not Politicians executive director Richard von Glahn said there’s still a path forward for the referendum. And he believes that, despite social media posts from Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway claiming the new gerrymander is now in effect, the state hasn’t actually taken steps to implement the new law – such as distributing map data to local election offices so they can begin switching over to the new districts. 

“We will continue to monitor that. And if the state implements this law, then I would suspect that they would be subject to additional litigation,” von Glahn said.

Mike Wolff, a former Missouri Supreme Court justice, said case law is on the side of referendum organizers and clearly states the map should be paused now. He cited court precedent going back to 1914 – shortly after the referendum provision was added to the Missouri Constitution – stating that legislation is paused when enough signatures have been submitted.

“Once the people present a petition with what, on its face, appears to be a required number of signatures, then the law is suspended,” Wolff said. 

Von Glahn said that’s not the only precedent Missouri Republicans are ignoring. He blasted them for breaking with the state’s tradition of following the referendum law regardless of partisanship.

“It has been followed in a non-partisan manner, frankly, until last week,” von Glahn said. 

Jason Kander, a former Missouri Secretary of State, said Republicans historically have obeyed  the referendum law — even on measures they didn’t agree with. 

He cited the example of Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who served as state attorney general during a similar 2018 referendum effort. Labor organizers submitted signatures to hold a veto vote on a right-to-work law, pausing the legislation until it was ultimately defeated by voters. 

Hawley “campaigned in favor of the right-to-work law,” Kander said. “And then when that law was challenged, Josh Hawley didn’t take this absurd position. Josh Hawley obviously did his job as attorney general, and said that yes, the law is paused while we work this out.” 

Kander slammed Hoskins and Hanaway for claiming the new map is now in effect, comparing their position to arguing that a bill passed by the state legislature goes into law while waiting for the governor to sign or veto it.