Missouri Supreme Court swiftly takes up fight over voters’ right to challenge GOP gerrymander

By Yunior Rivas

A protestor holds a sign in opposition to a plan redrawing Missouri's U.S. House districts during a rally at the state Capitol, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)

The Missouri Supreme Court moved Thursday to immediately take up the fight over whether voters can challenge Republicans’ new congressional gerrymander through a referendum, bypassing an appeals court to fast-track the case just weeks before ballots must be finalized.

The court, acting on its own, transferred the case directly to itself one day after pro-voting plaintiff, People Not Politicians Executive Director Richard von Glahn, asked an appellate court to review a ruling that upheld Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ (R) decision to block the referendum.

The justices said they were taking the case “because of the general interest or importance of the legal issues involved in this matter.”


The court ordered an expedited briefing schedule, with von Glahn’s opening brief due Aug. 25, the state’s response due Aug. 27 and any reply due Aug. 31.

Oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 2 — just six days before the Sept. 8 deadline to finalize the November ballot. That’s the same day the court has already scheduled a hearing on a related case over signatures in support of the referendum.

The pro-voting plaintiffs are challenging Hoskins’ decision to reject the referendum as unconstitutional even after organizers collected enough signatures to qualify it for a statewide vote. 

On Wednesday, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green sided with Hoskins, ruling that Missouri’s referendum provisions do not apply to congressional redistricting and leaving the GOP-drawn map in place for November.

Von Glahn said after that ruling that the lower court decision was only the next step toward a final answer from the state’s highest court.

“After months of delay from the Secretary of State, we appreciate the Supreme Court’s swiftness in resolving the situation at hand. What matters is that this is resolved before the September 8 deadline, when ballots must be finalized,” von Glahn said in a statement following Wednesday’s ruling.