Missouri House Gives Preliminary Approval to GOP Gerrymander, Ballot Initiative Attack

The Missouri House gave preliminary approval to the GOP’s mid-decade congressional gerrymander Monday, taking another step toward passing a map designed to rig the 2026 election at the expense of Black voters in Kansas City. 

Missouri is advancing the map in deference to a White House plan to redraw congressional districts across the country to try to ensure Republicans keep their majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms. Texas passed a gerrymandered map last month that’s now being challenged in court. 

Missouri’s Republican state lawmakers gave tentative approval, in a 89-63 vote, to a plan that would dismantle Kansas City’s Democratic-leaning 5th District.

The House also gave preliminary approval to a measure making it harder for residents to use the state’s initiative petition process. It would require a proposal to receive a majority in all eight Missouri congressional districts in order to pass – setting up a potential scenario where a widely popular measure could be defeated by a small percentage of voters in one district. 

State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D) called the petition legislation insidious and outrageous, and he said it’s connected to the redistricting effort. 

“Because we’re going to redistrict, we’re going to lose a congressional seat and then we’re going to kill the initiative petition process so the voters can’t undo the damage we’re doing with redistricting. That’s what it’s about,” Tyson Smith said.

The Missouri House is set to reconvene Tuesday morning, while the Senate is scheduled to meet Wednesday.

The group People NOT Politicians in a statement Monday said the Missouri scheme allows politicians to choose their voters, rather than empowering voters to choose their representatives. 

“It’s an unconstitutional attempt to rig the 2026 elections before a single vote is cast—breaking Missouri law, dividing communities, and undermining democracy. It’s no surprise that the proposed gerrymandering plan drew overwhelming public backlash, with 2,761 online submissions opposed and only 16 in support,” People NOT Politicians spokesperson Elsa Rainey said.

People NOT Politicians said thousands of Missourians are planning to march at the State Capitol Wednesday to protest the gerrymander.

The Monday vote came after some Democratic lawmakers held a sit-in on the House floor for 100 hours. 

“We’re still on the Missouri House Floor because democracy is worth the fight,” state Rep. Ray Reed (D) said on social media. 

Their protest drew praise from former Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who said in a social media post: “Missouri State Reps Reed, Fuchs, and Dean: You are not in this alone. We are cheering you on, and we are so grateful for your courage as you fight for our democracy.”