A Democratic-backed group in Missouri aiming to halt the newly drawn Republican congressional map has taken a significant step toward a potential referendum that could block the map before the 2026 elections.
People Not Politicians submitted more than 300,000 signatures on a petition that seeks to keep the new district boundaries from taking effect until after next year’s midterms. The petition still requires certification from Missouri’s secretary of state before it can appear on the ballot.
“This process is an important historic check on legislators’ power, or power grabs,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, in a pre-submission interview. “This is what our democracy is for — empowering and protecting voters’ authority.”
This development adds another twist to the national redistricting debate, which President Trump helped spark as part of an effort to strengthen the GOP’s narrow House majority.
Last September, Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature approved a new congressional map that reorganizes one of the two districts represented by a Democrat, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, in a way that likely makes that seat more favorable to Republicans.
Opponents of the redistricting used a Missouri law provision that permits a citizen referendum, giving voters statewide a final say on the map. They were required to gather roughly 107,000 signatures from six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts by Thursday, but People Not Politicians reported submitting almost three times that amount on Tuesday.
Democratic Senate minority leader Doug Beck welcomed the turn of events, noting that collecting such a large number of signatures so quickly demonstrates that many Missourians oppose the map.
Under Missouri law, submitting the petition signatures temporarily pauses the new law that created the map.
The next step is for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, to determine whether the petition has enough valid signatures. His office has a July deadline for signature verification, though officials expect the process could wrap up sooner. Hoskins has previously signaled opposition to the measure, having initially rejected the petition’s legal basis in October.
Hoskins’ spokesperson, Rachel Dunn, said the office would not comment further until after the Thursday deadline.
If the petition is certified, the Legislature would then schedule an election to let voters weigh in on the map.
Several hurdles remain. Any ruling by Hoskins is likely to lead to litigation. Candidates for Congress in Missouri could begin filing in late February, with the August primary filing deadline closing in March, meaning the final impact on 2026 candidates is uncertain.
Another timing question concerns the election date. If the redistricting measure goes on the ballot for the November 2026 general election, the new map would not be in effect for the midterms.
Lawmakers could instead place the measure on an earlier election or call a special election. Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers, setting the stage for a heated political fight over timing.
The “election day” contest within the Legislature figures to be another flashpoint, Beck said.
Millions of dollars have flowed into the Missouri map clash from both major parties and outside donors.
Missouri Republicans have voiced concerns about outside money influencing the referendum effort and said they will still push for the map to take effect for the November election regardless of how signature verification goes.
State Sen. Brad Hudson, a map supporter, acknowledged worries about out-of-state involvement in a process he sees as fundamentally Missouri’s business. He still believes the enacted map is legally and constitutionally sound and would ultimately prevail.
The referendum push relies on a Missouri Constitution clause stating that laws referred to voters cannot take effect without a majority vote. This mechanism, used only about two dozen times in state history, is seen by supporters as a drastic but legitimate check on legislative action.
Von Glahn described the referendum route as an extraordinary measure suitable for extraordinary times, indicating the current moment fits that description.
Legal battles are already underway. In October, Hoskins, following an opinion from Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, initially rejected the petition, arguing that although the redistricting bill had been approved earlier, it had not yet been signed into law when the petition was filed. People Not Politicians filed suit to challenge that decision.
Separately, People Not Politicians has pressed lawsuits over the petition’s ballot language, arguing it was misleading and unconstitutional. Hanaway’s office has also sued the group in federal court, contending that the referendum effort infringes on constitutional authority.
Additionally, Hanaway’s office is investigating a signature-collection firm, Advanced Micro Targeting, for alleged use of undocumented workers in gathering signatures. The firm has denied these allegations.
Reporting was contributed by Adam Edelman and Ben Kamisar.
