Missouri voters reject Republican-drawn congressional map

Missouri residents voted Tuesday to reject a Republican-backed congressional map, according to an Associated Press race call. The decision ends a lengthy legal battle that began last year when state lawmakers approved the new district lines.

The plan was designed to redraw the Kansas City district currently held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. Lawmakers hoped the new boundaries would allow Republicans to win an additional House seat. Cleaver won reelection easily Tuesday, securing his position despite the proposed changes.

The redistricting effort emerged during a national push initiated by President Trump to adjust district maps ahead of the midterm elections. Missouri’s state Supreme Court ruled in late 2025 that the map could not take effect for the upcoming midterms. The court sent the measure to voters instead. The U.S. Supreme Court later upheld that state court decision, clearing the way for the ballot measure.

Missouri is part of a wider trend of states using ballot measures to address redistricting questions. Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday that changes rules for drawing congressional districts. That change allows Democratic state leaders to redraw lines before the 2028 election.

Colorado voters also decided a constitutional amendment Tuesday. The measure would ban congressional maps that intentionally favor one political party. The results from these three states show how voters are stepping in to decide on district boundaries that were previously drawn by legislators.