Redistricting

An attorney for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins told a judge that the original ballot summary for a referendum on Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map is “inherently argumentative” and should be revised

The ACLU is arguing the declaration by Attorney General Catherine Hanaway that the new Missouri congressional map is in effect violates Missourians’ rights to a referendum.

Attorneys for People Not Politicians said in court Monday that a judge should rule against Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ actions on the proposed congressional redistricting referendum.

The complaint, filed with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Council, says the Attorney General didn’t have the authority to list the Missouri General Assembly as a plaintiff in a redistricting lawsuit without its input.

The Republican National Committee is targeting voters to remove their names from a referendum petition.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs said the Missouri Constitution is clear that redistricting can only be done after a certified census, while the defense said nothing prohibits mid-decade redistricting.

“We're watching what Indiana does,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said at an unrelated event in Alton on Wednesday. “We may have to react to that.”

State Sen. Lincoln Hough voted against efforts to end debate on gerrymandering and initiative petition bills — and was swiftly removed as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Missouri's new congressional map carves up Kansas City into three separate districts, fulfilling the wishes of President Donald Trump.

Protesters demanded that Republicans halt their efforts to redistrict Missouri and make it harder for voter-led constitutional amendments to pass. After protesting in the rotunda, rally-goers packed the Senate chambers, where lawmakers are set to take up both proposals.