Protestors gather in the rotunda to protest a redistricting plan that would split Kansas City into three districts on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the Missouri State Capitol, in Jefferson City, Mo. (Yong Li Xuan/Missourian via AP)
Missouri voters are organizing to use their constitutional right to veto the GOP-controlled state legislature’s new gerrymandered map. But while they cleared one administrative hurdle Wednesday, the Republicans who run the state are trying to place yet another stumbling block in their path.
Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed into law last month a congressional redraw that splits apart Black communities in Kansas City and absorbs them into GOP districts, eliminating one of Missouri’s two districts reliably held by Democrats.
But unlike in Texas – another red state that has bent the knee to redraw maps this year at President Donald Trump’s demand – the Missouri constitution provides voters with the opportunity to have the last word and block unpopular legislation themselves — known as a “people’s veto.”
To put the veto question on the ballot for a statewide vote, organizers must collect over 106,000 valid signatures by Dec. 11 – from at least 5% of voters in two-thirds of the state’s congressional districts.
Advertisement
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins (R) announced Wednesday his office approved the referendum petition. But he also put an additional hurdle in organizers’ way, claiming the signatures already collected by voters are invalid and constitute a “misdemeanor election offense.” Hoskins said his approval was required before organizers could begin collecting signatures.
Petition organizers slammed Hoskins for spreading “false and misleading information” about the process “without citation or legal authority.” The state constitution only requires Missourians to submit a cover sheet before beginning to gather signatures, organizers said.
“We will not be intimidated or distracted. This referendum will qualify, and Missourians – not politicians – will decide the future of fair representation in our state,” Richard von Glahn, Executive Director of People Not Politicians Missouri, said in a statement.
More than 2,400 Missourians have volunteered to gather signatures, according to the group.
The pro-voting coalition organizing the referendum said voters have collected over 100,000 signatures “from Missourians outraged by the state’s illegal gerrymandered maps.”
Advertisement
Hoskins’ effort to block the signatures is only the latest attempt from Republican state officials to stop the referendum from making it to the ballot.
Hoskins and Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) previously rejected the referendum petition Sept. 26, arguing the petition was premature because the gerrymander hadn’t yet been signed into law at the time it was filed.
Petition organizers said Hanaway cited a section of the Missouri Constitution that deals with initiative petitions, not referendums.
People Not Politicians filed a petition Sept. 29 asking a circuit court for a declaratory judgment and an injunction against the rejection.
Hanaway then sent an opinion letter to Hoskins Oct. 9 approving the petition, but giving Hoskins final authority on the decision.
Advertisement
Hoskins sent von Glahn a letter five days later approving the referendum petition – but left the door wide open for future roadblocks.
Hoskins warned he could later decline to certify the petition for placement on the ballot “if statutory or constitutional deficiencies” arise, such as failure to submit enough valid signatures or “defects” affecting the validity of the referendum.
The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether the so-called “Missouri First” map is unconstitutional.
The map, passed by Republican lawmakers in September and signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, stretches the boundaries of the 5th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold, eastward into heavily Republican regions of the state. It also moves part of the current 5th District into the 4th and 6th districts, currently represented by Republican congressmen Mark Alford and Sam Graves. Incumbent Democrat Emanuel Cleaver is running for reelection in the 5th District.
Opponents of the Missouri First map’s main argument focused on the map being passed by lawmakers without any new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The congressional boundaries tossed out by the Missouri First map were based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
Advertisement
Attorney Chuck Hatfield represents those challenging the new map passed by Republican lawmakers last fall.
“The whole idea is tethered to the census data. You must do it at the census, and you only do it at the census,” Hatfield told the High Court. “The court’s precedents also support this.”
Solicitor General Louis Capozzi, representing the Missouri Sec. of State’s office, disagreed, saying the Missouri Constitution is silent on mid-decade redistricting.
“Mid-decade redistricting had happened in Missouri in the 1870s, and mid-decade redistricting was common around the country in the first half of the 20th century,” he argued. “Article III, Section 45 of the Missouri Constitution sets out only three requirements for the redistricting of seats in Missouri, ‘The district shall be composed of contiguous territory, as compact, and as nearly equal in population as may be.’ And as long as the General Assembly complies with those three rules, this court said that Missouri courts, ‘shall respect the political determinations of the General Assembly.’”
Meanwhile, roughly a hundred demonstrators held signs across the street from the Missouri Supreme Court building, condemning the Missouri First map and calling for the Missouri Supreme Court to strike it down.
Advertisement
“Voters should choose our politicians,” said Missouri League of Women Voters Director Kay Park. “The League (of Women Voters) believes redistricting should keep communities of similar culture and race together to strengthen their vote and promote partisan fairness.”
The Missouri Supreme Court will rule on the congressional district map later.
Missouri senior forward Mark Mitchell was recognized Monday with a second-team selection to the All-Southeastern Conference teams.
Mitchell has led the Tigers all season long and tops the team in scoring (17.9 points per game), rebounding (5.2) and assists (3.6). He would be the just the second player in program to lead all the categories in one season, joining Albert White from the 1998-99 season.
Mitchell is also on pace to become the first player in program history to average at least 17 points, five rebounds and three assists since Anthony Peeler in 1992, the year he took home the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year award.
Mitchell was the only Missouri player to be recognized in SEC postseason awards.
Advertisement
Five players were named to each of the three All-SEC teams.
Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama) and Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) made the first team.
Acuff was named the conference’s player of the year and freshman of the year.
Joining Mitchell on the second team were Nate Ament (Tennessee), Rueben Chinyelu (Florida), Otega Oweh (Kentucky) and Dailyn Swain (Texas), while Rashaun Agee (Texas A&M), Alex Condon (Florida), Keyshawn Hall (Auburn), Aden Holloway (Alabama) and Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State) were named to the third team.
The All-SEC defensive team consisted of Chinyelu, Somto Cyril (Georgia), Felix Okpara (Tennessee), Billy Richmond III (Arkansas) and Tanner. Chinyelu was selected as the defensive player of the year.
Advertisement
Appearing on the all-freshman team were Acuff, Amari Allen (Alabama), Ament, Malachi Moreno (Kentucky) and Meleek Thomas (Arkansas).
Swain was selected as the newcomer of the year, while Urban Klavzar of Florida was named the sixth man of the year.
The 2026 Missouri high school basketball state championship brackets continue on Monday, March 9, with eight games in the sectional and quarterfinal round of the higher classifications.
High School On SI has brackets for every classification in the Missouri high school basketball playoffs. The championship games will begin on March 19.
Missouri High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (MSHSAA) – March 9, 2026
Advertisement
Sectionals
Doniphan vs. Potosi – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
St. James vs. St. Francis Borgia – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Notre Dame de Sion vs. Oak Grove – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Smithville vs. Benton – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Cardinal Ritter College Prep vs. Clayton – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Orchard Farm vs. Kirksville – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Boonville vs. Strafford – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Reeds Spring vs. Nevada – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Quarterfinals
Festus vs. Lift for Life Academy – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Grandview vs. Kearney – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
MICDS vs. St. Dominic – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Helias vs. Marshfield – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Quarterfinals
Jackson vs. Marquette – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Rock Bridge vs. Staley – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Incarnate Word Academy vs. Troy-Buchanan – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Kickapoo vs. Lee’s Summit West – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
