Issues that have been blocked from the November ballot will get a hearing before the Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Two major questions must be settled by the court:
- Should the public be given a chance to vote on gerrymandered congressional districts?
- Should a vote be held on a proposed amendment to make it harder for lawmakers to alter voter-approved initiatives?
The court has a tight deadline to issue its decisions, as the November election ballot must be approved by Sept. 8.
Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled in favor of Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in both cases, accepting his interpretation in August that both attempts are unconstitutional.
The appeals have been brought to the state’s Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort by challengers to have the questions placed on the November ballot. Understanding the urgency, the court took the unusual step of ordering expedited hearings and rulings by the lower courts.
Here’s what to look for on Wednesday.
Debate over gerrymandering
The adoption of the new congressional map last year from Republican legislatures has sparked debate from opponents who are questioning its legality, as Republicans are favored in the newly drawn 5th Congressional District.
Challengers of the gerrymandered map have submitted more than a dozen lawsuits against state legislators since the map’s adoption. Primary elections for both political parties were held Aug. 4 using the new maps.
That same day, Hoskins blocked a referendum petition containing more than 300,000 signatures submitted by a political action committee, People Not Politicians, stating that the Missouri and U.S. constitutions do not allow a referendum on a redistricting plan.
Hoskins has refused to say whether the petition had enough signatures to make the ballot, stating that because his findings found them unconstitutional, the signature counts are irrelevant.
People Not Politicians filed a lawsuit that same day challenging Hoskin’s decision.
If the Supreme Court upholds the ruling, it sets a precedent that Missourians cannot use the referendum process to challenge a redistricting plan.
Disconnect between lawmakers and voters
In recent Missouri elections, there has been a difference in legislature-based actions and Missouri voters' response. The most recent case comes from Amendment 3, a proposed amendment that, if adopted, will ban abortion in Missouri. Voters approved abortion and reproductive rights in the state in 2024.
A proposed amendment initiative that would make it harder for lawmakers to alter voter-approved initiatives received more than 367,000 signatures.
Hoskins declared on Aug. 4 that the proposed constitutional amendment would not be on the November ballot because it included more than one subject, which is forbidden under the state constitution. He did not state if the petition received a sufficient number of valid signatures when he rejected the petition.
Respect MO Voters, a political action committee behind the proposed amendment, filed a lawsuit in response to his decision on Aug. 6.
Green found that the amendment placed unconstitutional restrictions on the actions of future lawmakers and impermissibly combined multiple subjects within the initiative.
The Missouri Supreme Court must render a decision by the Sept. 8 deadline. Its decision will play a large role in shaping the November ballot and future voter-led initiative and referendum processes.