Missouri has been embroiled in a legal dispute for exactly one year over which congressional map should be used for the November elections. This conflict has been linked to pressure from former President Donald Trump on Republican-led states to favor Republicans in the midterms. In an attempt to resolve the confusion, hundreds of thousands of Missourians signed a referendum petition, seeking to let voters decide whether to use a new gerrymandered map or the 2022 map. However, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition at the last minute, just hours before the state’s primary election. This led to a legal battle, which culminated in the Missouri Supreme Court ruling in favor of the petitioners, finding Hoskins in contempt and validating the referendum petition. Election officials are now preparing to send mail ballots to overseas and military voters, but confusion remains among candidates and voters about which district they belong to and which candidates will appear on their ballots. A new lawsuit has been filed against Hoskins by Missouri residents, citing an obscure state law that allows individuals to seek monetary compensation if the secretary of state fails to perform his duties. If the lawsuit is successful, Missouri could be forced to pay up to $80 million. Buried in Missouri’s Constitution is a statute under Section 28.200, which permits individuals to recover between $100 and $500 from the secretary of state if they neglect or refuse to perform their legal duties. Five Missouri residents who signed the referendum petition filed a lawsuit against Hoskins, claiming his actions were "illegal and contumacious." Despite over 330,000 verified signatures from registered voters, Hoskins refused to certify the petition, arguing that congressional district decisions are not subject to voter referendum. The Missouri Supreme Court had earlier ruled the referendum valid and ordered the use of the 2022 map, but Hoskins initially ignored the ruling and filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was denied by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The situation has grown increasingly complex with a competing lawsuit filed by Missouri Republican Rep. Robert Onder, who sought to keep the gerrymandered map in place. A lower court judge sided with Onder, directing election officials to use the 2025 map, despite rulings from both the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. Only after a second rebuke from the U.S. Supreme Court did Hoskins issue new guidance to use the 2022 map. The referendum petition lawsuit now seeks class-action status for 162,000 of the 330,000 signatories. Legal experts suggest that the future of the case may hinge on how courts define an "aggrieved" person, potentially including voters who could be placed in different districts. Approximately 23 percent of Missouri voters will be in different congressional districts in November than they were during the August primary, affecting over 1 million people. Typically, courts would order a new primary in such cases, but Missouri has not done so, likely due to the short time between the primary and the general election. The legal uncertainty over the map remains unresolved, with Onder’s lawsuit still ongoing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit is set to hear arguments soon, with further appeals possible to the Supreme Court. The dispute centers on a single congressional seat, with Missouri Republicans’ gerrymandered map dividing Kansas City into three districts along racial lines. If implemented, the map could unseat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, one of only two Black members of Congress from Missouri. Cleaver acknowledged the changes, stating, "the worst part is that it tells voters there are people who will do just about anything to win."