# Supreme Court Slaps Missouri Gerrymandering Attempt

> Supreme Court rejects Missouri's last-minute gerrymander for 2026 midterms, forcing use of 2022 map.
- Title: Supreme Court Slaps Missouri Gerrymandering Attempt | Shortify
- Summary: Supreme Court rejects Missouri's last-minute gerrymander for 2026 midterms, forcing use of 2022 map. Missouri must use 2022 congressional map for November…
- Keywords: supreme court, missouri, gerrymandering, congressional map, brett kavanaugh, 2022 map, 2025 map, midterms, referendum, voting rights, Supreme, Court
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/09/supreme-court-judges-missouri-gerrymandering-fail-kavanaugh.html?via=rss
- Author: Alexis Romero
- Published: 2026-09-29T21:36:30.558+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: supreme court, missouri, gerrymandering, congressional map, brett kavanaugh, 2022 map, 2025 map, midterms, referendum, voting rights
## Supreme Court rejects Missouri gerrymander
The Supreme Court concluded Missouri's attempt to gerrymander congressional maps for 2026 midterms failed as early voting began under the 2022 map.
## Missouri's emergency map effort
Missouri Republican officials failed to replace the 2022 map with a new 2025 map before November elections despite emergency legislative action.
## 2025 map's racial impact
The 2025 map tried to expand Republican seats by picking off parts of Kansas City, Missouri, a city with a 40 percent nonwhite population.
## Missouri voter referendum
Over 300,000 Missourians signed a petition requiring a statewide referendum in November 2026 to vote on the 2025 map.
## Secretary of State's defiance
Missouri Secretary of State Denny L. Hoskins ordered primaries under the 2025 map despite legal requirements for the 2022 map.
## Missouri Supreme Court ruling
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the 2025 map met legal requirements for a November referendum after the 2022 map was used.
## Supreme Court's two prior rulings
The Supreme Court had already ruled twice in favor of the 2022 map before this latest decision on Missouri's gerrymander.
## Kavanaugh's role in case
Justice Brett Kavanaugh reviewed petitions from the 8th Circuit, which had previously allowed Missouri's 2025 map to be used.
## Missouri's petition strategy
Missouri's petition cited Kavanaugh's opinions from gun litigation and administrative law cases to support their gerrymander.
## Supreme Court's criticism
The Supreme Court criticized Missouri for claiming eleventh-hour unfairness when the Secretary of State knew the 2025 map carried significant risks.
## Missouri's gerrymander context
Missouri was the eighth state to attempt gerrymandering for 2026 midterms after Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah.
## Lower courts' role
Lower courts had previously allowed gerrymanders in Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama despite evidence of racial discrimination.
## Supreme Court's warning
The Supreme Court warns states feel emboldened to subvert democracy because the court has enabled them to do so.
## Key takeaway

Missouri must use 2022 congressional map for November elections after Supreme Court rejects illegal 2025 gerrymander.