Missouri voters keep 2022 congressional map after rejecting Proposition A
More than 60% of ballots cast opposed the Missouri First plan, preserving current district lines and ending a statewide campaign to redraw boundaries.
By Alina Marshall ·
Missouri voters rejected Proposition A on November 5, keeping the state's 2022 congressional map in place. With more than 60% of ballots cast against the measure, the proposed Missouri First redistricting plan failed to gain enough support to alter existing district lines.
The debate centered on whether to adopt the new map or retain the boundaries established in 2022. The Missouri First plan would have changed the district represented by Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver II. This potential shift in representation became a major point of contention across the state during the general election cycle.
Richard Von-Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, characterized the result as a unified effort by residents. He noted that the rejection was not limited to specific urban areas. “It wasn’t just rejected in Kansas City,” Von-Glahn said. “It was rejected in counties in Northern Missouri, it was rejected in counties through the Lake of the Ozarks, it was rejected in St. Charles, and Jefferson County, and St. Louis, and down in the boot hill.”
Representative Cleaver viewed the outcome as a direct signal to the federal government. He argued that the vote indicated a desire for external oversight of the state's redistricting process. “The voters sent a loud message to Congress that they want pre-clearance because they rejected what the Missouri General Assembly was serving,” Cleaver said. “And I think that’s as good a statement, maybe the most powerful statement in the country.”
Republican Governor Mike Kehoe had supported the Missouri First map. Following the defeat, he stated that external groups had challenged the plan through legal and electoral avenues. “While out-of-state special interests repeatedly attacked the map through courts and the ballot box, our commitment to ensuring Missourians have strong, effective representation in Washington remains unchanged,” Kehoe said.
Republican Representative Mark Alford also responded to the results. He stated that he respected the will of the electorate even though his preferred map did not pass. “The voters of Missouri have spoken, and I fully respect their decision,” Alford said. He added that his legislative goals remained unchanged despite the ballot outcome.
Activists involved in the campaign said the vote outcome prompts further discussion on the role of politicians in drawing district lines. Von-Glahn suggested that the result encourages scrutiny of how redistricting is handled. “The question why politicians should even be involved in redistricting to begin with when there’s such an opportunity for corruption and self-dealing in that. And so, that’s a question we might look at,” he said.
