Liam Thomas McManaman | Staff Illustrator

In September 2025, the Missouri General Assembly passed House Bill 1 (H.B. 1) at the behest of Trump as part of a nationwide strategy to draw more Republican-leaning seats to prevent Democrats from gaining control of the House. This bill created a new, gerrymandered congressional map, weakening the Democratic vote primarily in Kansas City, but also in parts of St. Louis. 

In response to this legislation, the nonprofit political organization People Not Politicians collected and submitted over 305,000 signatures in support of a referendum petition on H.B. 1. Under the Missouri Constitution, this should have stopped the implementation of a new map until voters had an opportunity to approve or disprove it in the following election. However, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins refused to certify the referendum petition and attempted to force voters to vote under the unconstitutional map. The fight over the map then moved repeatedly between state and federal courts. The Missouri Supreme Court ordered that the 2022 map remain in effect, but a federal district court later ordered the state to use the 2025 map; the U.S. Supreme Court blocked that order, only for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to revive the 2025 map just a few days later. 

On Sept. 25, 2026, the Supreme Court stepped in for a third time and again blocked use of the 2025 congressional map for the 2026 midterm elections in Missouri.

This November, the legislation behind H.B. 1 will be back on the ballot in the form of Proposition A. A “no” vote rejects the 2025 congressional map and keeps the 2022 districts in place. 

It is concerning that Hoskins and the Republican Party have attempted to alter the congressional map three separate times. Not only are these actions unconstitutional, they are a blatant violation of voters’ rights and a clear example of politicians seeking to dilute the power of voters to elect representatives of their own choosing. 

If Proposition A passes, politicians — not voters — will have the final say over who gets to choose each congressional representative. District lines determine which voters are grouped together and therefore which communities have the power to elect their representatives. Voters should choose their representatives; politicians should not be able to redraw the electorate to give them an advantage. 

This November, voters will have the opportunity to have the final say on H.B. 1, by voting no on Proposition A. It is imperative that we do so and reject the new congressional maps proposed by the Republican Party.