People Not Politicians v. Onder
Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court stayed federal court orders that had required Missouri to use a 2025 redistricting map, ensuring the 2022 map remains in place for the ongoing 2026 election.
The Supreme Court stopped lower federal court orders that attempted to switch Missouri's congressional map in the middle of an ongoing election. As a result, Missouri will continue using its 2022 redistricting map for the 2026 general election.
Plain-English summary generated by AI from the Court's published opinion on September 25, 2026. Always read the official opinion for the controlling text.
Key Takeaways
- 01The 2022 redistricting map will be used for Missouri's 2026 congressional elections.
- 02Federal courts generally may not change state election rules once the voting process has started.
- 03The Supreme Court applied the Purcell principle to prioritize electoral stability over late-stage legal challenges.
Inside the Court
- Opinion by
- Per Curiam
Why It Matters
The Court emphasized that federal courts should not change election rules once voting has already begun. This decision reinforces the principle that late-stage judicial intervention can cause electoral chaos.
Who Is Affected?
Missouri election officials
They are authorized to proceed with the 2022 map, avoiding the logistical difficulty of reprinting ballots or changing districts mid-election.
Military and absentee voters
Their already-mailed ballots based on the 2022 map will remain valid for the 2026 congressional election.
Congressional candidates in Missouri
Candidates must run in the districts established by the 2022 map rather than the 2025 map.
What Happened?
Missouri enacted a new redistricting map in 2025, but state law requires that new maps be approved by voters in a referendum if enough signatures are gathered. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled on September 3, 2026, that because a referendum was triggered, the 2025 map was not yet law and the 2022 map must be used. Federal district and appeals courts subsequently issued orders requiring Missouri to use the 2025 map anyway, despite the ongoing election. The Supreme Court intervened to halt those federal orders and maintain the 2022 map.
Legal Question
Should federal courts be stayed from ordering a state to switch its congressional redistricting map after the election process has already begun and ballots have been mailed?
Why the Court Ruled This Way
In a per curiam opinion, the Court granted the application for a stay, halting lower court orders that required Missouri to use the 2025 redistricting map. The Court relied on the Purcell principle, which cautions federal courts against altering election rules on the eve of an election. The Court noted that in this case, the election had already started, with ballots using the 2022 map already printed and mailed for military and absentee voters. The Court found that the merits of the plaintiffs' constitutional claims were not clear-cut enough to justify the 'electoral chaos' that would result from changing maps mid-election. Consequently, the Court ordered that lower courts may not prohibit the use of the 2022 map or require the use of the 2025 map for the remainder of the 2026 cycle.
Arguments in Favor
Supporters of the stay would argue that changing maps after voting has already started would create significant confusion and make it practically impossible for election officials to manage the process. They would emphasize that states have the right to follow their own constitutional referendum processes without late-breaking federal court interference.
Arguments Against
Critics would argue that the 2025 map represents the most recent expression of the legislature's will and that using an older map could potentially impact the outcome of congressional control. They might contend that the Missouri Supreme Court's late-stage decision itself created the instability that federal courts were trying to remedy.
Timeline
2022
Missouri Legislature enacted a redistricting map.
May 2026
Missouri Supreme Court issued a decision in Maggard v. State.
The court stated the 2025 map would not take effect until approved by voters in a referendum.
September 3, 2026
Missouri Supreme Court ruled the 2025 map 'is not the law.'
The ruling held the map will not take effect unless approved by voters in the 2026 referendum.
September 8, 2026
Justice Kavanaugh denied a stay request; District Court issued an injunction.
The federal District Court ordered Missouri to use the 2025 map despite the Circuit Justice's action.
September 10, 2026
Supreme Court stayed the District Court injunction.
The full Court blocked the order that would have required the 2025 map.
September 21, 2026
Eighth Circuit ordered a permanent injunction.
The appeals court again required the use of the 2025 map, leading to this Supreme Court intervention.
September 25, 2026
Supreme Court issued a per curiam opinion staying the lower court orders.
The Court finalized the use of the 2022 map for the ongoing election.
What This Means for Everyday Americans
For Missouri voters, this means the congressional districts for the 2026 election are now settled and will follow the 2022 boundaries. If you have already received or cast an absentee or military ballot, that ballot remains the correct one for this election. The 2025 map is not gone forever, but it will only become law if a majority of Missouri voters approve it during the upcoming referendum. This ruling aims to prevent confusion at polling places and in mail-in voting that could occur if district lines changed while an election was already underway.
What Happens Next?
The case returns to the lower courts, though the Supreme Court's order explicitly prohibits them from enjoining the 2022 map for this election cycle. The 2026 Missouri congressional elections will proceed under the 2022 boundaries. Voters will decide the fate of the 2025 map in a referendum during the 2026 election.
Explain It Like I'm 12
Missouri made a new map for choosing members of Congress in 2025, but state law says voters have to give a 'thumbs up' in a special vote called a referendum before it can be used. Some people went to federal court to try and force the state to use the new map right now, even though the election has already started and ballots have been mailed out. The Supreme Court stepped in and said 'no' to the federal courts. The Justices said that changing the rules while people are already voting would cause too much confusion. Because of this, Missouri will keep using its old 2022 map for this year's election.
Broader Context
The decision applies the Purcell principle, a legal doctrine established in Purcell v. Gonzalez that discourages federal courts from changing election rules close to an election date. This case extends that principle to situations where an election is already in progress and ballots have been distributed.
Key Players
People Not Politicians
One of the plaintiffs who sued in federal court to require the use of the 2025 map.
Robert Onder
A named respondent in the application for stay before the Supreme Court.
Justice Kavanaugh
The Circuit Justice for the Eighth Circuit who denied an initial stay request on September 8, 2026.
Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities
An amicus curiae that informed the court it was practically impossible to revert to the 2025 map.