A three-judge panel from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Missouri is required to implement its 2025 congressional map for the November election. By a 2-1 margin, the court upheld a lower court directive, preventing the state from reverting to the 2022 district lines. The Constitution prohibits Missouri from employing a different congressional map for the November 2026 general election than the one utilized during the August 2026 primary.
The judges determined that the state's proposal to revert to the 2022 map breaches constitutional requirements, asserting that only the 2025 map aligns with federal statutes. The panel consisted of two judges selected by President Donald Trump and one chosen by George H.W. Bush. As reported by the Washington Examiner, the court dismissed claims that the state could alter district boundaries after voters had already participated in the primary.
The central conflict revolves around the mandate that voters must remain within the same district for the duration of a single election cycle. Since Missouri conducted its August primary using the new 2025 boundaries, reverting to the 2022 map would effectively split voters across conflicting districts, the judges explained. According to The Daily Caller, approximately 1.4 million people would find themselves assigned to different districts based on which map is applied.
NEW: It's the gerrymander that won't die.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has revived a GOP-friendly Missouri map expected to net the party a congressional seat — despite what everyone thought was an earlier death knell from SCOTUS.
w/ @joshgerstein https://t.co/782FwRyfrx
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) September 21, 2026
State authorities advocated for the previous map after the Missouri Supreme Court validated a referendum petition, a move that would have placed the old boundaries on the November ballot. Nevertheless, U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order to halt this transition. The 8th Circuit sustained this order, observing that the Supreme Court had previously refused an application to stay the lower court's decision.
Legislators enacted the 2025 map in 2025 to secure a 7-1 Republican advantage in the House. In contrast, the 2022 maps provided the GOP with a 6-2 edge. If the new map withstands further legal challenges, Republicans could secure an additional House seat by eliminating the Kansas City district currently held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The Washington Examiner noted that the new boundaries reshape the political landscape to benefit the majority party.
While three judges formed the majority opinion, one dissented regarding the issue of standing. Judge David Stras, appointed by Trump, contended that the group challenging the map lacked the right to appeal. The majority rejected this view and issued a permanent injunction to prevent the switch until September 28. This postponement allows the high court time to consider the matter before the election occurs.
The decision precipitates an immediate confrontation with the Supreme Court, which has indicated that federal judges should avoid intervening in such disputes. The 8th Circuit expressed confidence that the Missouri Supreme Court would honor this ruling under the Supremacy Clause. With ballots already printed and Missourians having voted under the new lines, thousands more are scheduled to cast ballots before any new order could take effect.
Proponents of the referendum motion requested a stay pending appeal, but the 8th Circuit rejected the request. The court indicated it might lack the jurisdiction to review the temporary restraining order entirely.