KANSAS CITY — The fate of Missouri’s congressional map could be decided in days after the state Supreme Court signaled it wants a rapid resolution to legal challenges that seek to delay or overturn the boundaries approved by lawmakers last year.
Case in Cole County challenges new map
On Aug. 4, a Jefferson City-area resident, Richard Von Glahn, filed suit against Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, arguing that voters should be permitted to weigh in on a referendum before a new congressional map is put into effect. The lawsuit currently is pending in Cole County, near the state Capitol.
Lawmakers in Jefferson City approved the map in September 2025. That map altered Missouri’s delegation from a 6-2 Republican advantage to a 7-1 configuration, shifting district boundaries that could reshape the November contest.
Leaders say quick action possible
Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, whose district would be affected under the new plan, said the lower courts should move swiftly in response to the Supreme Court’s direction.
“So, if the lower courts would act as the Supreme Court requested them to do already, I think that this will be settled in the next 10 days or so,”
Cleaver has represented the area now drawn as the 5th Congressional District for 21 years. Under the new map plan, known in the Legislature as the Missouri First Map or House Bill 1, the 5th District's lines would push the seat into more rural Mid-Missouri — a change that makes his November contest more competitive.
Primary results and November matchup
Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the GOP primary for the 5th District on Aug. 4, defeating his nearest rival, Taylor Burks, by about 19 percentage points. Brattin is now set to face Cleaver in the general election on Nov. 3 should the new map remain in place.
Von Glahn, who leads the citizens’ group People Not Politicians, contends that if the referendum effort is valid, House Bill 1 was never legally enacted and the map used in prior elections should remain in force until voters have their say.
“If the referendum is sufficient, then House Bill 1 is not and has never been a legally enacted map,”
He acknowledged that, regardless of the Cole County outcome, the matter is likely to be appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court.
What is at stake
If the existing map remains, Missouri’s congressional delegation would continue under the lines used in 2022 and 2024. If House Bill 1 is upheld, the state would see a congressional delegation configured as 7 Republicans and 1 Democrat, raising the stakes for incumbents and challengers alike.
- Timeline: Map approved Sept. 2025; lawsuit filed Aug. 4, 2026; potential resolution sought within days by the Supreme Court.
- Primary outcome: Rick Brattin won the GOP primary for the 5th District by ~19 points.
- Next steps: Cole County ruling likely to be appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legislation | House Bill 1 ("Missouri First Map") |
| Change | From 6-2 Republican-leaning to 7-1 Republican |
| Key court | Cole County (trial), Missouri Supreme Court (possible appeal) |
Attorneys for the parties and judges in Cole County have not publicly released a timeline for a final ruling beyond the Supreme Court’s request for expedited handling. The outcome will determine not only who appears on the ballot in some districts but also whether Missouri voters will have a direct referendum on the map before it takes effect.
As the legal process unfolds, campaigns will need to weigh whether to proceed under the map they used in the August primary or prepare for altered districts that could shift the political calculus for November. Any change in the map could force last-minute strategic adjustments by candidates and parties across the state.
Coverage will continue as court filings become public and as the Missouri Supreme Court weighs any appeals tied to the Cole County proceedings.
