The US Supreme Court has ordered Missouri to use its existing congressional map for the November 3 midterm election, rejecting a Republican-backed plan that critics said could have flipped a Democratic seat. The court warned that last-minute redistricting would create "electoral chaos." The decision preserves two Democratic-held seats in Missouri and blocks a map drawn at President Trump's urging that may have allowed Republicans to win seven of eight seats.
Supreme Court Blocks Republican-Backed Missouri Redistricting Days Before Midterms
FILE PHOTO - A general view of the US Supreme Court in Washington DC. (is associated with: «Republicans lose key redistricting battle ahead of US elections») Valerie Plesch/dpa
The US Supreme Court on Friday ordered Missouri to use its existing congressional map for the November 3 midterm election, rejecting a Republican-backed plan that could have shifted one Democratic-held district and potentially added a seat for the GOP.
The ruling, which the court issued as the dispute returned to the nation's highest court for the third time this month, said adopting new district lines so close to the election would create "electoral chaos." By blocking the new map, the decision preserves the status quo ahead of the vote.
"Changing maps now would cause electoral chaos," the court said in its opinion.
Under the state's current boundaries, Democrats hold two of Missouri's eight House seats and Republicans hold six. The map proposed by Missouri lawmakers last year, reportedly drawn at the urging of President Donald Trump, would have substantially reshaped a Democratic district and might have enabled Republicans to capture seven seats.
Why This Matters
All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate are on the ballot in November. Control of Congress would shape Washington's agenda: Democrats are aiming to retake the House and contest the Senate to gain greater power to block legislation and open investigations, while Republicans seek to expand their majority.
Context And Consequences
Congressional maps, typically redrawn once a decade after the census to reflect population shifts, determine which voters are bundled into each district. Both parties have used redistricting to try to gain electoral advantage — a practice known as gerrymandering — and courts often serve as the arbiter when disputes arise.
With the Supreme Court's decision, Missouri will proceed to the ballot with the familiar map, avoiding last-minute changes that could have delayed or complicated voting administration and voter information efforts.
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