Missouri voters rejected gerrymandering in 1922

In the midterm elections of 1922, Missouri voters rejected a Republican gerrymander by more than sixty percent. Democrats had petitioned for a referendum after Republicans swept the state and redrew congressional districts in their favor.

Trump's 2025 Missouri map targets Emanuel Cleaver

In September 2025, Missouri Republicans passed a gerrymandered map targeting veteran congressman Emanuel Cleaver. His district would sprawl from Kansas City into rural areas, resembling a cartoon dog's snout and head.

People Not Politicians organizes a referendum campaign

Richard von Glahn, policy director of a local workers' rights organization, helped establish People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the map. The group found voters were clued into democracy in unexpected ways.

Secretary of state rejects referendum petition

By December, People Not Politicians claimed nearly three times the signatures needed.But on August fourth, Republican secretary of state Denny Hoskins declared a referendum would be illegal, claiming power over redistricting belongs to the legislature.

Missouri Supreme Court overturns Hoskins's decision

A month later, Missouri's Supreme Court ruled seven to zero that the referendum petition was valid. The opinion dismissed Hoskins's argument that reverting to the old map would be confusing and expensive as particularly misplaced.

“particularly misplaced given the secretary's delay created the confusion, expense, and practical difficulties of which he complains”

Supreme Court battles over which map to use

Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected Hoskins's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But a federal court then ruled the new map must be used in November since it was used in primaries, bouncing the question back…

Election officials navigate unprecedented chaos

County clerks had to send ballots overseas and open absentee voting using the old map. Congressman Cleaver said election officials were having fits managing the confusion and uncertainty.

“Just think about those people in these election offices. They are having fits!”

Supreme Court warns of electoral chaos

The day before absentee voting began, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the new map, warning in an unsigned order that using it would usher in electoral chaos, given that voting had already begun under…

“usher in electoral chaos”

Trump launches a national redistricting campaign

Trump encouraged Republicans in Texas to draw new boundaries making five Democratic districts friendlier for the G.O.P. He said, we are entitled to five more seats. This sparked a nationwide redistricting battle.

“We are entitled to five more seats”

Indiana Republicans block redistricting despite pressure

Redistricting efforts in Indiana stalled despite intense pressure from the White House. A bloc of Republicans in the state Senate voted it down, holding firm even amid bomb threats and swatting attacks.

Supreme Court guts voting rights protections

At the end of April, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled six to three in Louisiana v. Callais that voting rights protections were unconstitutional. Previously illegal racial gerrymanders are now legal if justified as partisan instead.

Republicans create three more seats after Callais

Quickly, Republicans created three more seats they ought to win in Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Republican gains shrink as political environment shifts

The political environment became so toxic for Republicans that the Party no longer looked likely to realize projected redistricting gains.In Texas, a plus-five map could wind up being plus-two or minus-three.Analysts pegged net G.O.P.

Democrats escalate their own gerrymandering efforts

Democrats have increasingly pushed back as hard as Republicans. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, said Republicans are gonna proceed with diabolical intensity, and we don't just have to match it, we have to exceed…

“gonna proceed with diabolical intensity. And we don't just have to match it, we have to exceed it with righteous intensity”

Democrats prepare referendums to weaken commissions

In Maryland, Democrats voted to tee up a referendum on an amendment aimed at defanging legal risks heading into 2028. New York Democrats are preparing a referendum in 2027 to weaken their California-style redistricting commission.

Redistricting wars threaten democratic accountability

The number of swing House seats nationally could shrink to as low as the teens, insulating most members from electoral accountability. In such seats, the primary becomes the real election, favoring extremely polarizing nominees.

Reformers propose proportional representation

Some reformers are discussing departing radically from the current electoral system by creating bigger districts with multiple representatives elected by proportional vote. This could insure a state's House delegation roughly reflects its partisan makeup.

Congress could act if members see mutual interest

Congress has well-established power over elections and could act if members realize redistricting wars are bad for them all.

History shows change is possible but uncertain

After Missouri voters rejected the 1922 gerrymander, partisan passions cooled.But decades later redistricting remained contentious.