Missouri voters turn down a Republican-backed congressional map

Voters Antonia Loomis, left, and Carl Jacobs fill out their ballots on Tuesday's Election Day in Clayton, Mo. Jeff Roberson/AP hide caption

Jeff Roberson/AP

Missouri voters have denied a Republican-backed congressional map that wound its way through the courts before ultimately ending up on the state's ballot. That's according to a race call by the Associated Press.

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GOP lawmakers in Missouri had passed the map last year to try to oust Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by redrawing his Kansas City district. The goal was to pick up an additional House seat for Republicans.

The new district lines came amid a national mid-decade redistricting rush that was initiated by President Trump to try to boost his party ahead of the midterm elections.

Missouri's top court ruled that the Republican-backed map could not be in effect for the midterms, and instead voters would get to decide on it. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld that state court ruling.

Cleaver easily won reelection Tuesday, according to a race call by the Associated Press.

Missouri is not the only state deciding ballot measures relating to redistricting.

Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment to change rules for congressional redistricting, allowing Democratic state leaders to redraw districts ahead of the 2028 election.

And Colorado voters are deciding a constitutional amendment that would ban congressional maps that purposefully favor one political party.