WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court today paused an appellate court order that would have forced Missouri to abandon its 2022 congressional map mid-election and conduct this November’s elections under HB 1, the mid-decade gerrymander Missouri enacted at President Trump’s urging. This is the third time this month the Supreme Court has rejected efforts to impose HB 1 before Missouri voters get a chance to approve or reject the new map in November.
The Supreme Court’s order in People Not Politicians v. Onder blocks a recent injunction from the Eighth Circuit, which would have required Missouri to use the gerrymandered map in defiance of orders from the Supreme Court of Missouri and the U.S. Supreme Court.
By the time the Eighth Circuit ruled, ballots using the 2022 map had already been sent to military and overseas voters, and absentee voting had already begun. Election officials from across the state had warned that switching maps at this stage would lead to disaster.
The November 3 general election will continue under the 2022 map, as the Missouri Supreme Court ordered on September 3 when it unanimously held that HB 1 “is not the law and has never been the law.” HB 1 will appear on the ballot as Proposition A and will take effect only if voters approve it.
Elias Law Group proudly represents People Not Politicians and its executive director, Richard von Glahn, before the U.S. Supreme Court in this case.
“Three times now, the United States Supreme Court has told Missouri state officials that they cannot override their own state’s highest court and force an unlawful gerrymander on voters,” said Elias Law Group Partner Abha Khanna. “Today’s order protects the ballots that have already been cast and the right of Missourians to decide HB 1’s fate for themselves. However, we must not forget how far Republicans were willing to go to deny Missourians the right to vote under fair and lawful congressional maps, even if it meant disregarding court orders and throwing an election into chaos at the eleventh hour. We are proud to stand with People Not Politicians and applaud their heroic efforts to stand up for democracy in Missouri.”
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