Appeals court backs Missouri congressional map and delays order for Supreme Court review

The Eighth Circuit ruling

A three-judge panel of the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday in favor of a Republican-drawn congressional map for Missouri. The panel, which heard oral arguments on 17 September 2026, consisted of two judges appointed by Donald Trump and one appointed by George H.W. Bush. The judges stated that reverting to the older 2022 boundaries for the general election violates the US Constitution after the state held its primary under the 2025 lines. Republican congressional candidates filed the legal challenge to force the use of the new lines in November. The panel directed a lower court to enter a permanent injunction enforcing the 2025 map, but paused its own ruling until Monday, 28 September at 5:00 p.m. CT (22:00 GMT) to give the US Supreme Court time to review the case.

State and federal court conflict

Missouri Republicans enacted the redistricting plan in 2025 as part of a national push backed by Trump to defend the party's narrow majority in the House of Representatives. The proposed map is expected to yield one additional Republican seat by dismantling the Kansas City-based district of longtime Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. On 3 September 2026, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled 7-0 that the map never legally took effect, agreeing with challengers who argued the measure required approval in a voter referendum. A federal district judge then blocked the state supreme court decision, ordering Missouri to conduct the midterms under the Republican plan. The US Supreme Court intervened to pause that federal order, prompting state officials to revert to the 2022 map that kept Cleaver's district intact.

Ballot deadlines and voter impact

The conflicting rulings have disrupted preparations for the November midterm elections, which take place in less than two months. Local election officials had already sent absentee ballots to overseas citizens and military voters using the 2022 boundaries. Under Missouri law, absentee ballots must be made available to all other voters by Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Running the general election under the older map creates a situation where voters must choose among general election nominees whom they did not vote on during the August primary. The appellate panel majority concluded that using the 2025 boundaries would minimize disruption, noting that candidates filed, campaigned, and received primary votes under the new lines for approximately one year.

Next steps before the high court

The dispute now returns to the US Supreme Court, which has already ruled twice against enforcement of the Trump-backed map. Richard von Glahn, the leader of the anti-redistricting advocacy group People Not Politicians Missouri, stated that his organisation will submit an emergency appeal to the high court.

“Officials should stop wasting taxpayers' money on pointless legal action and instead focus on administering our elections.”

Officials representing the Missouri governor, attorney general, and secretary of state did not immediately reply to requests for comment following the decision. Legal representatives from both political parties have acknowledged that further litigation remains probable regardless of which map governs the November vote. If the Supreme Court takes no action before the stay expires on 28 September, local election administrators will be required to administer the vote under the redrawn map.