Appeals court says use of 2022 congressional map violates Constitution; says 2025 map should be used

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An appeals court has thrown a wrench in the ongoing saga over which congressional map should be used in Missouri for the November election.

The Eighth District Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that the state’s current plans to use the 2022 congressional map in November violate the U.S. Constitution

“This Court holds that Missouri’s current plan to use the 2022 map in the November 2026 general election violates the Constitution. Only use of the 2025 map complies with the Constitution and federal law. We affirm the district court and remand for entry of a permanent injunction,” the ruling states.

The group People Not Politicians, which sued and led a petition drive to keep the 2025 map from going into effect, vowed to file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.

This comes as county clerks warned last week that it is too late to change the ballots to anything else.

Monday’s ruling also states that the district court “should administratively stay its permanent injunction until September 28, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Without any stay, Secretary Hoskins and local election authorities would be required to immediately begin implementing the 2025 map before the Supreme Court receives or decides any appeal.”

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon told ABC 17 News that her office is still printing ballots based on the 2022 map and is awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court.

The 2025 map was approved by Republicans in the General Assembly at the urging of the White House to squeeze another GOP House seat into the Missouri congressional map. The 2025 map splits up Kansas City's Fifth District into three other districts which extend into rural Missouri.

ABC 17 News is working to learn more information.