By Jason Hancock | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning,
For months, Missouri’s congressional map fight has revolved around one question: Which districts will voters use in November?
Last week, we finally got an answer. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a federal order allowing use of the gerrymandered map, while the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that map never took effect because voters successfully forced a referendum on it.
That doesn’t mean everyone has stopped fighting.
Republican officials still see Thursday’s arguments before the 8th Circuit as a possible path back to the gerrymandered map. Legal experts we talked to see something closer to a dead end.
And now the fight is opening another front, this one focused on Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ handling of the referendum.
Five voters filed a class-action lawsuit asking for roughly $80 million in damages on behalf of 162,000 referendum petition signers, arguing Hoskins violated duties imposed by state law.
(Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)
by Jason Hancock
The 8th Circuit will hear arguments Thursday, but a U.S. Supreme Court stay and a state ruling that the map never took effect leave formidable obstacles.
(Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)
by Jason Hancock
The lawsuit seeks to represent approximately 162,000 registered Missouri voters whose signatures on the referendum petition were verified by local election authorities.
(Getty Images)
COMMENTARY
by Jason Hancock
Missouri voters keep clashing with Republican leaders over ballot measures, court rulings and who ultimately gets the final say.
(Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)
by Jason Hancock
The panel will develop common standards for assessing child safety as lawmakers press the Children’s Division over foster care deaths, staff turnover and investigation backlogs.
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