U.S. Supreme Court ruling mandates use of 2022 congressional election map
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay on injections granted by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on Friday, ensuring the 2022 congressional map will be used for the November 2026 election.
The order from the Justice Brett Kavanaugh will remain in effect "pending any further order of [the] court lifting such stays." The court further ordered the District Court and Court of Appeals "should not enjoin or otherwise prohibit the use of the 2022 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri."
It further said the courts should not order or require Missouri to use the 2025 map in the election.
This comes after Missouri held its August primary under the 2025 congressional map, despite the map not being approved by voters.
In its order, the U.S. Supreme Court said Secretary of State Denny Hoskins was aware of the “significant risks” of holding the primary under the new map, but “nonetheless chose to proceed.”
In a press release, Hoskins said the Supreme Court’s ruling was disappointing, calling it a blow to representative democracy, but said he appreciates having clarity on how the November election will proceed.
He said his office will comply with the ruling and expressed confidence in local election authorities to administer a seamless general election.
Hoskin also defended his efforts to uphold what he described as the principles of the U.S. Constitution, saying he “left nothing on the field” and will continue fighting for Missourians and what he called the American way of life.
Gov. Mike Kehoe shared his disappointment over the decision on social media.
State Sen. Rick Brattin said Friday’s decision is a “travesty for Missouri voters”.
He does add that he is grateful the Eighth Circuit addressed the case, arguing that voters should not select their nominees under one congressional map and then vote in different districts during the general election.
Brattin said the decision reflects what he believes the Constitution and common sense require.
Gillian Wilcox, director of litigation and policy for the ACLU of Missouri, called the decision the latest example of what she described as “unnecessary but intentional chaos” for Missouri voters.
“Politicians and elected officials have unleashed unnecessary but intentional chaos on Missouri voters, not for the benefit of their constituents but for themselves and the state actors in D.C. who designed and demanded these maps solely for partisan power grab,” Wilcox said in a press release. “Voting has already begun and today’s decision closes the door on the politicians’ shenanigans.”
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said the decision is “very relieving,” because the county will not have to reprint ballots or reprogram voting machines.
Lennon said the county has updated its website and social media pages to notify voters no changes will be made to their ballots.
“Please feel free to come in and absentee vote, especially during that two-week period of time before the election. But it is incredibly relieving to know that we don’t need to redo the work that we’ve already done,” Lennon said.
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal maneuvers between Missouri Republicans, who redrew the state's congressional district boundaries in 2025 to turn Kansas City from a Democratic seat to a Republican one, and People Not Politicians, who opposed the redistricting.
Missouri used the 2025 map in the August primaries, but since then, questions have persisted about what using the older 2022 map in November would mean for voters.
In his ruling, Kavanaugh noted that "ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed. Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting."
"At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map in the midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos," Kavanaugh said in his order.
