A legal fight over Missouri’s congressional map has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, and could impact the Nov. 3 general election in Warren County, despite ballots already having been printed.
Absentee voting began Tuesday, Sept. 22, for the general election, the county clerk’s office said in a message posted to its website that same day.
“Warren County voters need to be aware that the congressional district map for this election is still tied up in ongoing court proceedings,” it noted.
On Sept. 10, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins directed local election officials to use the 2022 congressional map. On Sept. 21, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled that Missouri needed to use the 2025 map in the November election.
The Court of Appeals ruling was immediately stayed until Monday, Sept. 28, the Warren County Clerk’s Office noted, so for now the county is continuing to use the 2022 map.
In the August primary election, Missouri was using the 2025 map, County Clerk Denise Stotler said.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in September, however, that the 2025 map, which is favored by President Donald Trump, could not be used because opponents gathered and submitted thousands of petition signatures last December calling for a statewide vote on the revised districts, according to the Associated Press.
Using the 2025 map, the entire county was included in the Third Congressional District. That race is between incumbent Republican Rep. Bob Onder, Democrat Bethany Mann, and Libertarian Jim Higgins.
Stotler said, however, that if the Supreme Court does not issue a ruling requiring it to do otherwise, the county will proceed using the 2022 map, under which much of the county, essentially everything south of Interstate 70, would be included in the Second Congressional District. Candidates in that race are incumbent Republican Ann Wagner, Democrat Fred Wellmann, and Libertarian Brandon Daugherty.
“Most of our voters are south of 70,” Stotler said, adding that she currently has ballots printed for both the Second and Third districts, but not enough Third Congressional District ballots for all voters if the Supreme Court decides the 2025 map must be used.
“I would have to reorder all kinds of ballots,” Stotler said, adding that people should avoid voting yet if possible.
“As far as absentee, if you can wait and hold off, because I’d hate for you to vote and cast your ballot, and then things change, which potentially could happen,” she said.
The note on the county clerk’s office website similarly points out that absentee ballots cannot be changed after being cast, even if the congressional map changes.
“We want Warren County voters to be fully informed about the current situation before casting their ballot,” the clerk’s office said.
“For now, our office will continue operating under the guidance currently in effect for local election authorities. We will share any confirmed changes affecting Warren County voters as soon as we receive them,” the message continued.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these unusual circumstances.”
If the Supreme Court does require Missouri to use the 2025 map, the county still has time to order the right ballots before election day, “it’s just a matter of printing them and getting them to us,” Stotler said. She added, however, that she would prefer not having to rework the county’s election plans again.
“We hope nothing changes. We don’t need any of this. It’s just been a hassle,” she said.
