Missouri Legislature passes redistricting and ballot reforms, bills head to Kehoe

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Legislature fully passed two controversial measures Friday, including a new congressional map and reforms to the state’s initiative petition process.

Lawmakers approved the legislation during an extraordinary session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe. It was the second such session this year.

Like the Missouri House did earlier in the week, senators moved expeditiously to pass the legislation, which faced fierce opposition from Democrat lawmakers and thousands of protesters who held demonstrations at the capitol Wednesday.

The Republican-controlled legislature approved changes to the state’s congressional maps to give the GOP a chance to flip one of the two Democrat-held seats in next year’s midterm elections.

The new district maps from Kehoe’s office significantly alter Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, an office currently held by Democrat Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. 

The current boundary of the 5th district encompasses much of Kansas City. The proposed district would still include parts of Kansas City, but spreads the boundaries down the Interstate 70 corridor into parts of Columbia.

President Donald Trump publicly called for the state to redraw maps to give Republicans more of an edge in next year’s midterm elections.

The final House vote on the congressional maps: 90-65. The Senate voted: 21-11, with two Republicans dissenting. 

The other measure approved by both chambers deals with reforms to the state’s initiative petition process. In particular, Republicans have long argued that it’s too easy to change the state’s constitution. 

Under the legislation, a statewide ballot question that would amend the state constitution would require a majority of the votes in all of Missouri’s eight congressional districts. Currently, a simple majority of votes is needed statewide.

The measure itself is a proposed constitutional amendment and would still require a vote of the people before being enacted. 

The Senate voted mainly along party lines, with Republican Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, and Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Greene County, voted no on both special session bills. Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Jackson County, voted no on the reform bill but yes on the redistricting. 

The new congressional districts will head to Kehoe for final approval. The initiative reform bill will head to the voters for final approval.