People Not Politicians says it submitted nearly three times the roughly 107,000 signatures required from six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts to force a referendum on the state’s new congressional map. Critics say the map fragments largely Black, liberal-leaning communities to benefit Republicans. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins must verify the signatures before a July deadline and has signaled opposition, while parallel probes and legal challenges continue. A federal judge recently denied Republicans’ request to block the referendum.
Missouri Activists Deliver Enough Signatures to Force Referendum on GOP Gerrymandered Map
Dec 11
An anti-gerrymandering coalition, People Not Politicians, says it has submitted enough petition signatures to trigger a public referendum on Missouri’s newly approved congressional map — a plan critics contend was drawn to give Republicans an electoral edge in next year’s midterms.
Opponents argue the map increases Republican advantages in part by fragmenting largely Black, liberal-leaning communities across the state. People Not Politicians’ executive director, Richard von Glahn, told NBC News that invoking the referendum process represents "an important historic check on legislators’ power or power grabs." The group had until Thursday to collect roughly 107,000 valid signatures from at least six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts and says it submitted nearly three times that amount.
What Happens Next
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, must now verify that a sufficient number of the submitted signatures are valid. Although his office faces a July deadline for signature verification, NBC News reported that the review will likely occur sooner and be conducted on a "slow and steady" timeline. Hoskins previously rejected the legal basis of the petition effort in October and has signaled opposition to the referendum.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 10: Protestors demonstrate inside the rotunda of the Missouri Capitol Building on September 10, 2025 in Jefferson City, Missouri. Activists and concerned voters descended in the Missouri Capitol to protest the current plan on redistricting maps ahead of the midterm elections. (Photo by Michael Thomas/Getty Images)
Hoskins told The Associated Press, "I’m going to do everything I can to protect Gov. [Mike] Kehoe’s Missouri First Map — the map the General Assembly passed."
Legal and Political Pushback
Republican officials have mounted multiple challenges to the referendum effort. The Missouri attorney general opened an inquiry into unverified allegations that undocumented immigrants assisted a separate anti-gerrymandering group with signature collection and that the process may have involved human trafficking; the president of that organization, Advanced Micro Targeting, has strongly denied those claims. Earlier this week, a federal judge refused a request from Hoskins and other Missouri Republicans to block the referendum.
If the petitions are certified, the state Legislature would schedule an election allowing voters to decide whether to keep or overturn the contested congressional map. While certification and a ballot placement are not guaranteed, the volunteers and activists behind the drive have built clear momentum toward giving Missouri voters a direct say over what critics call a partisan, Trump-backed redistricting plan.
Background: Missouri’s new congressional map was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by state leaders. Supporters say it provides fair representation; critics counter that the map was drawn to entrench partisan advantage and dilute the voting power of key communities.
