8th Circuit orders Missouri to use GOP-favored congressional map

redistricting congressional map 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Missouri elections gerrymandering

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Missouri must use its 2025 congressional redistricting map for the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections. The court held that attempting to revert to the 2022 map after the August primaries would violate the U.S. Constitution, as it would disrupt the continuity of constituencies for voters who have already participated in the election cycle.

The 2025 map, which was used during the state's August primaries, is expected to favor Republicans by shifting the state's House delegation from a 6-2 split to a 7-1 split. This change would effectively eliminate a Democratic-held district in Kansas City.

The ruling includes a permanent injunction but is currently stayed until September 28, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Time. This delay provides a window for opponents of the map to seek emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. While the appeals court decision reverses previous rulings from the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court that had favored the 2022 map, the final outcome remains subject to potential Supreme Court intervention.

Entities

8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals · Brianna Lennon · Denny Hoskins · Donald Trump · Emanuel Cleaver · Missouri · U.S. Supreme Court

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 12 SOURCES] The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that using the 2022 congressional map for the November election violates the U.S. Constitution. abc17news.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · wtop.com · offthepress.com · www.gpkmedia.com · +7 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The court held that only the 2025 map complies with the Constitution and federal law. abc17news.com · offthepress.com · www.gpkmedia.com · krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · +6 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The appellate panel delayed the ruling's effect until September 28, 2026, to allow for an appeal. abc17news.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · wtop.com · krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · +5 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Election officials have already distributed absentee ballots to military and overseas voters using the existing districts. wtop.com · krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · www.troyrecord.com · www.missourinet.com · +1 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The 2025 redistricting map favors Republicans in a 7-1 split and eliminates a Democratic district in Kansas City. offthepress.com · townhall.com · www.nbcnews.com · politicaldog101.com · www.gpkmedia.com · +2 more