Missouri congressional redistricting battle goes to Supreme Court for the third time

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Published: 2026-09-23T22:15:45.916Z • Permanent link

Missouri congressional redistricting battle heads to the Supreme Court for the third time, with the case centered around the partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts. The lawsuit, filed in 2018 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Missouri, argues that the state's Republican-drawn maps intentionally discriminate against Democratic voters. The court's previous two decisions, in 2019 and 2022, were split along ideological lines, with conservative justices siding with the Republican-led state legislature and liberal justices opposing them.

The ACLU's lawsuit seeks to dismantle the state's congressional map, which was drawn in 2011. The map has been widely criticized for its irregular shapes and partisan bias, with many arguing that it was designed to maintain Republican control over the state's congressional delegation. The Supreme Court's decision will have far-reaching implications for the 2024 elections, potentially altering the balance of power in the Missouri legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.

The case is a prime example of the ongoing struggle over gerrymandering in the United States. Gerrymandering, the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one party, has been a contentious issue for decades. The Supreme Court has ruled on several gerrymandering cases in recent years, but the issue remains a source of controversy and debate.

The Supreme Court's decision on the Missouri congressional redistricting case will have significant implications for the U.S. electoral system. Gerrymandering can lead to a lack of competitive elections, with one party dominating the political landscape. This can result in a lack of representation for minority groups and can undermine the democratic process. By striking down the partisan gerrymandered map, the Supreme Court could help ensure that Missouri's congressional districts are drawn in a way that reflects the state's population and voting patterns.

The decision could also have broader implications for the Republican Party, which has long been accused of engaging in partisan gerrymandering to maintain its control over the U.S. House of Representatives. The court's ruling could lead to a shift in the balance of power in the party, potentially altering the national landscape of politics. For research communities and policy experts, the case is a prime example of the complex interplay between politics, law, and demographics.

The Missouri congressional redistricting case is part of a larger pattern of gerrymandering cases across the United States. In recent years, several states have faced lawsuits over their congressional maps, with the Supreme Court weighing in on several cases. The court's 2019 decision in Rucho v. Common Cause established a high bar for challenges to congressional maps, requiring plaintiffs to demonstrate that the maps were drawn with a discriminatory intent. However, the decision also left the door open for challenges to maps that are drawn with a partisan bias, even if there is no clear evidence of discriminatory intent.