Missouri House Bill 1 Referendum Dispute (2025–2026)
Documented · 10/14/2025
In September 2025 the Missouri General Assembly passed, and Governor Mike Kehoe signed, House Bill 1, a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan. The Supreme Court of Missouri later upheld the Legislature's authority to redistrict mid-decade (Luther v. Hoskins, March 24, 2026); this record does not treat the redistricting itself as qualifying conduct.
Voters submitted referendum petition 2026-R004 against HB 1 on December 9, 2025. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins set aside petition pages gathered before he approved the petition form, and on August 4, 2026 certified the petition insufficient on the ground that congressional redistricting is not subject to referendum. On September 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of Missouri unanimously held the petition legal, sufficient, and timely, held that HB 1 had not taken effect, and enjoined its use unless voters approve it.
On September 8, 2026, after a federal temporary restraining order that he had consented to, Hoskins directed local election authorities to use the HB 1 map. On September 10, the Supreme Court of Missouri found him in civil contempt of its injunction, found that he had purged the contempt with a corrective directive, and imposed no fine or commitment. On September 25, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States stayed later federal orders, leaving the 2022 map in place for the 2026 election; that emergency order did not finally decide every federal merits question.
HB 1 appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Proposition A. Class-action suits filed against Hoskins in September 2026 are pending allegations, not findings.
Documented claims
On September 25, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a per curiam order in People Not Politicians v. Onder (No. 26A388), stayed later federal injunctions and stated that, as a matter of state law, the 2022 map must be used in Missouri's 2026 congressional election. The order rested on the equities and Purcell principle and described the federal merits as not entirely clearcut.
- People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 — per curiam opinion granting stay — Supreme Court of the United States (09/25/2026) [Primary]
- US Supreme Court again blocks Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map — Missouri Independent (09/25/2026) [Corroborating]
On September 3, 2026, in von Glahn v. Hoskins (No. SC101805), the Supreme Court of Missouri unanimously held (Gooch, J.; all concur) referendum petition 2026-R004 legal, sufficient, and timely, held that House Bill 1 had not taken effect, and enjoined its use for the November 2026 election unless approved by voters.
- People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 — appendix to emergency application (includes von Glahn v. Hoskins, SC101805, opinion of Sept. 3, 2026, and the Eighth Circuit opinion in Onder v. Missouri, No. 26-2797) — Supreme Court of the United States (09/22/2026) [Primary]
- Richard von Glahn v. Denny Hoskins, No. SC101805 — opinion — Supreme Court of Missouri (09/03/2026) [Corroborating]
- People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 — per curiam opinion granting stay — Supreme Court of the United States (09/25/2026) [Corroborating]
On March 24, 2026, in Luther v. Hoskins (No. SC101412), the Supreme Court of Missouri upheld the General Assembly's authority to enact a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan; three judges dissented.
- Missouri Attorney General Hanaway Issues Statement on Luther v. Hoskins Win — Attorney General Office of Missouri (03/24/2026) [Primary]
- Luther v. Hoskins — case tracker — State Court Report (Brennan Center) [Corroborating]
Relationships
10/14/2025
- Richard von Glahn v. Denny Hoskins, No. SC101805 — Judgment of Civil Contempt — Supreme Court of Missouri (09/10/2026) [Primary]
- Richard von Glahn v. Denny Hoskins, No. SC101805 — opinion — Supreme Court of Missouri (09/03/2026) [Corroborating]
10/15/2025
- Attorney General Hanaway Fights Out-of-State Dark-Money Groups Attempting To Hijack Missouri’s Constitutional Authority — Attorney General Office of Missouri (10/15/2025) [Primary]
- Hoskins v. von Glahn, No. 26A304 — Appendix Volume 1 — Supreme Court of the United States (09/04/2026) [Corroborating]
08/29/2025
- Governor Kehoe Signs Missouri First Map into Law — Office of Governor Mike Kehoe (09/28/2025) [Primary]
08/29/2025
- Governor Kehoe Signs Missouri First Map into Law — Office of Governor Mike Kehoe (09/28/2025) [Primary]
- Missouri governor answers Trump's request for redistricting, calls special session — The National Desk (08/29/2025) [Corroborating]
09/08/2026
- People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 — appendix to emergency application (includes von Glahn v. Hoskins, SC101805, opinion of Sept. 3, 2026, and the Eighth Circuit opinion in Onder v. Missouri, No. 26-2797) — Supreme Court of the United States (09/22/2026) [Primary]
- State senator files federal lawsuit challenging Missouri redistricting — KSHB 41 [Corroborating]