Missouri Democrats see turning to the public as the best way to stop a new GOP-friendly congressional map from taking effect despite their minority status in the state legislature.

Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) is poised to sign the new map into law for the 2026 midterms after the state Senate gave approval on Friday. The map would likely give Republicans one additional seat in the House as the GOP tries to hold its narrow majority, taking out a current Democratic House member.

But Democrats may be able to send the issue to Missouri voters as a veto referendum for them to decide whether the map should be used.

Here’s what to know:

How it would work

Democrats legislatively didn't have many options to stop the map other than temporary stalling tactics. But the vote margins that the map received in the legislature can determine whether they have another chance to stop it.

Missouri law has a mechanism for voters to effectively veto legislation passed by lawmakers by gathering support to force a statewide vote.

The legislation for the new map passed this week didn’t include a so-called emergency clause, which would have made the bill effective as soon as the governor signs it, local outlets reported. Despite the Republican dominance in both chambers of the legislature, the threshold for approving the emergency clause is higher than the number of seats the GOP has in the state House.

Now, Democrats and other opponents will have 90 days after the map is signed to collect enough signatures — five percent of voters in each of two-thirds of the state’s congressional districts — to order a referendum, according to the Missouri Secretary of State’s rules.

If enough signatures are gathered, an election would be held and the public’s vote would decide the map’s fate.

“I think that's kind of the Democrats’ best bet at this point,........

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