Democrats could lose one of the two seats they currently hold in the eight-member U.S. House delegation. They vow to do what they can to derail a redistricting plan
By Urban Voices
August 2025
Missouri’s redistricting process is once again under fire as Republican lawmakers consider a mid-decade redraw of congressional maps—raising serious concerns about the dilution of Black political power, especially in the St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas.
The Political Push Behind the Maps
In recent weeks, pressure from national Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump, has reignited calls for a special legislative session to redraw Missouri’s eight congressional districts. The target for Republicans is the 5th District, held since 2005, by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver II and home to a large Black population in Kansas City. by U.S. GOP strategists are eyeing a map that could weaken Cleaver’s stronghold and deliver the district to Republicans in 2026.
So far, Republican leadership in Missouri’s legislature has been hesitant. But with national momentum behind the effort, observers believe a special session is likely. Meanwhile, civil rights groups and community organizations are preparing for a legal and grassroots pushback.
Why Southeast Missouri Should Pay Attention
Although the 5th District lies in Kansas City, the ripple effects of redistricting could hit Southeast Missouri’s Black communities hard. If lawmakers succeed in redrawing the 5th to dilute Black voters, it sets a precedent for splitting and weakening Black communities elsewhere, including in Sikeston, Charleston, Hayti, Poplar Bluff, and Cape Girardeau. These areas already suffer from fragmented political representation—divided across legislative lines that often ignore the realities of race, income, and geography.
Redistricting is not just a city issue. It’s a state issue. And it’s a Southeast Missouri issue.
In 2018, Missouri voters passed Clean Missouri to establish independent redistricting safeguards, but those protections were repealed in 2020 by Amendment 3. That rollback gave more power back to partisan-appointed commissions and removed requirements to count the total population—a change that disproportionately affects communities of color, immigrants, and children. These changes have opened the door for more aggressive gerrymandering tactics, often packing or cracking Black voters to reduce their power across multiple districts.
Impact on Local Communities
When redistricting is used to concentrate or divide voters, it often means:
Less political power for rural Black voters
- Fewer resources for underfunded schools and infrastructure
- Less influence on decisions about public safety, health care, and economic development
For Southeast Missouri, that could mean more years of political neglect, with elected officials who aren’t accountable to your community.
What’s at Stake
Litigation is expected to intensify as redistricting moves forward. Recent federal court rulings in the 8th Circuit (which covers Missouri) sought to limit the ability of private citizens to sue under the Voting Rights Act. However, in July 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked that ruling, preserving the legal pathway for civil rights groups to challenge racially discriminatory maps.
If Missouri proceeds with a special redistricting session, lawsuits are almost certain to follow—making the 2025–2026 cycle a pivotal moment for voting rights in the state.
At its core, this fight is about whether Black communities in Missouri will continue to have real political power or be strategically sidelined in the name of partisan advantage. While the 1st and 5th congressional districts remain secure for now, proposed changes threaten to isolate Black voters in “safe zones,” while diminishing their ability to shape policy beyond them.
At the state level, Missouri’s 2022 Senate map has already drawn legal challenges for packing Black voters into just two St. Louis-area districts while splitting other communities, such as Buchanan County. Though courts upheld the maps based on “compactness,” advocates say that definition ignores community integrity and racial fairness.
Now, with the 5th District potentially on the chopping block, community-based organizations are stepping forward to draw alternative maps that respect neighborhoods, racial representation, and the lived experiences of voters.
In St. Louis and Kansas City, coalitions like MORE (Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment) and the Vacancy Collaborative are pushing for maps that reflect real community boundaries—not just partisan priorities.
Even though redistricting can feel distant, the impact is local and long-term. Urban Voices encourages Southeast Missouri residents to act now: If voters are carved out of power through redistricting, it becomes harder to secure fair funding, responsive leadership, and real political representation for a generation.
Gerrymandering Anywhere Hurts Voters Everywhere
From Kansas City to Cape Girardeau, the stakes are clear: If Black voices are silenced in one region, they can be sidelined anywhere. Redistricting isn’t just about maps—it’s about power, resources, and justice.
Follow Urban Voices for continued coverage on how issues affects our communities—and how we fight back.
semourbanvoices.com
