Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has blocked a proposed anti-gerrymander referendum from advancing toward the ballot, a decision that stops voters from weighing in directly on the state's congressional redistricting. [1] The referendum is connected to House Bill 1 and to the map that affects the district represented by Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat. [1]
Hoskins, a Republican, said he expected the move to be contested. "I had no doubt in my mind that I will be challenged on this," Hoskins said. [1]
The immediate effect is procedural and concrete. A measure that supporters wanted placed before Missouri voters will not reach the ballot unless a court reverses Hoskins. [1]
The people who lose the most from that decision are the voters who backed the referendum as a check on how the congressional map is drawn, while the incumbents seated under the current lines keep them. [1] With Hoskins already anticipating a lawsuit, whether Missourians get to vote on the measure now depends on how the courts respond. [1]
