The dispute over Missouri’s congressional map has once again reached the U.S. Supreme Court, marking the third time the issue has been brought before the highest court in the nation. This latest development follows a ruling from a federal appeals court that ordered the reinstatement of a new map backed by former President Donald Trump. The map was drawn with the goal of helping Republicans gain a U.S. House seat during the upcoming midterm elections, which are expected to determine which party controls Congress. The Supreme Court has previously blocked the use of this map for the November elections, but the appeals court’s recent decision has reignited the legal battle. The situation became more complicated after an unusual ruling from the federal appeals court, which ordered the return of a Republican-friendly map just days after the Supreme Court had paused such a move on September 10. Earlier that week, Justice Brett Kavanaugh had rejected an appeal from Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, siding with the Missouri Supreme Court. That court had ruled that the new districts could not be implemented without a vote from Missouri voters in a statewide referendum. As a result, the state was required to continue using its previous map. The U.S. Supreme Court has now given supporters of the new map until midday on Wednesday to respond to the latest appeal, adding further uncertainty to the situation. The legal back-and-forth has left over a million potential voters in Missouri confused, as they may be reassigned to different congressional districts. Absentee voting has already begun in the state using the 2022 map, which was drawn after the last census. The new map, supported by Trump, would significantly alter a district based in Kansas City that is currently held by Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Republicans hope the new map will help them secure seven of the state’s eight House seats, which would give them a majority in the state’s delegation. Missouri’s redistricting battle has become one of the most protracted and complex in the nation, joining a group of about a dozen states that have sought to change their congressional districts over the past year. Normally, districts are redrawn every ten years following the census, but Trump’s encouragement of mid-decade redistricting in Republican-led states has led to a wave of changes aimed at influencing the upcoming midterm elections. This has created a highly contentious political landscape, with legal challenges and voter confusion at the center of the debate.