COLUMBIA — Five Missouri voters have asked a Cole County judge to allow a class-action lawsuit against Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, alleging he improperly handled signatures for a referendum seeking to place the 2025 congressional map on the November ballot. The plaintiffs say Hoskins' actions deprived Missourians of their right to vote on the measure and are asking for statutory damages of $500 per person for those whose signatures were verified by county clerks and who remain state residents — a group they estimate at about 162,000 people, resulting in roughly $80 million in potential liability.
What the lawsuit alleges
The lawsuit, filed in Cole County on Friday, contends Hoskins refused to certify the referendum in August and intentionally delayed court proceedings that would have placed the question on the ballot despite what the plaintiffs say were enough valid signatures. The referendum effort was led by the group People Not Politicians, which in December 2025 submitted more than 300,000 signatures on a petition challenging the state’s congressional map known as the "Missouri FIRST" map.
State officials, however, said Hoskins rejected more than 100,000 signatures collected before the secretary had authorized petition circulation. In December, Hoskins issued a certificate of insufficiency — and only on the final day allowed by law — saying a referendum on a congressional map would be unconstitutional. The plaintiffs argue that decision and the timing of the certificate unlawfully denied voters the chance to have the referendum on the ballot.
Who the plaintiffs are
The five named plaintiffs include:
- Fernando Bermudez (St. Louis)
- Joseph Welling (St. Louis)
- John Payne (St. Louis)
- Gregory Fletcher (St. Louis County)
- Cara Mengwasser (St. Louis County)
They are asking Cole County Judge Cotton Walker to certify the case as a class action. Certification must be granted before the suit can proceed to adjudicate damages or other relief.
Context: maps, the courts and state guidance
The broader backdrop includes a Missouri Supreme Court decision that the state will use the 2022 congressional map for November’s election. That ruling followed disputes over the latest redistricting, which critics described as gerrymandered. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, the court threatened sanctions if Hoskins suggested otherwise, and Hoskins subsequently instructed local election officials to proceed using the older map.
The petition drive by People Not Politicians aimed to place an alternative congressional plan before voters. Supporters argue referendums are a check on legislative or administrative choices about redistricting; opponents have asserted constitutional limits on whether congressional maps can be subjected to referendum.
Alleged injuries and requested relief
The plaintiffs claim they were harmed by Hoskins’ actions and therefore are entitled to damages under Section 28.200 of Missouri law. In court filings they write that the secretary’s conduct "denied them this right" and seek monetary recovery for the allegedly injured signers.
"...Plaintiffs have all been sufficiently injured by Hoskins's illegal and contumacious actions to deny them this right to entitle plaintiffs (and the members of the class described below) to recover statutory damages under Section 28.200,"
Next steps and potential impacts
Judge Walker must first decide whether to certify the suit as a class action. If he does, the case could expand to include the estimated 162,000 people whose signatures meet the plaintiffs' described criteria. Certification would allow the named plaintiffs to represent the larger group, potentially exposing the office of the secretary of state to significant financial exposure if the court awards statutory damages.
Separately, the underlying constitutional question about whether congressional maps are subject to referendum remains unsettled in public debate, but the Missouri Supreme Court’s directive for the 2022 map to be used this November has set the immediate electoral framework.
What this means for voters
At present, the outcome of the litigation will not change the guidance that local election officials received to use the 2022 map for the upcoming election. Any monetary recovery would hinge on the court finding Hoskins violated statutory obligations in how he handled the referendum process and determining the appropriate damages for the putative class.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Signatures submitted by People Not Politicians | 300,000+ |
| Signatures rejected by Hoskins | 100,000+ |
| Signers plaintiffs seek to represent | 162,000 |
| Requested damage per person | $500 |
| Approximate total damages sought | $80 million |
The case will likely draw attention from election law observers and advocacy groups on both sides of the redistricting debate. For now, the immediate procedural step is whether Cole County Judge Cotton Walker will certify the class and allow the litigation to proceed.
Reporting will continue as the court rules on class certification and as parties file further briefs.
