People Not Politicians files emergency appeal after 2022 congressional map ruled unconstitutional
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The ongoing saga over which congressional map Missouri will use for the November election takes a new turn after People Not Politicians filed an emergency appeal to the Eighth District Court of Appeals late Monday night.
This comes after the Eighth District Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the state's current plan to use the 2022 congressional map in the November election violates the U.S. Constitution. PNP's emergency motion for appeal is the next move in the battle, arguing that the ruling conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court's order.
PNP's emergency appeal lists three independent grounds to keep the 2022 map. The first ground states that the court violates the Supreme Court's stay. On Sept. 8, the Supreme Court stayed the district court's temporary restraining order, preserving the 2022 map. That order, issued by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark in St. Louis, blocked the state from using the 2022 congressional map.
The second ground listed in the emergency appeals reads that the district court and the circuit court lacked jurisdiction. The appeal says the court made a request by asserting the case could only be decided by a three-judge court; no law supports the court's conclusion.
The final ground listed is that lower courts should ordinarily not alter election rules on the eve of an election, as voting has already begun.
Last week, county clerks warned that it is too late to change the ballots to anything else. Military and overseas ballots have already been sent out, while absentee voting starts Tuesday.
Monday’s ruling also states that the district court “should administratively stay its permanent injunction until Sept. 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.”
Richard von Glahn, Executive Director for People Not Policitians, told ABC 17 News that the district court holding its decision was wise. "I think wisely stayed their own decision until next Tuesday," said von Glahn. "Missourians that have already voted, that are planning on voting this week, that are getting their ballots in the mail, should feel very confident voting, knowing that those maps are going to be the maps that are ultimately found to be legal and in place for the election."
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 that extend into rural Missouri.
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.
