“The decision means election officials, who began accepting absentee ballots Tuesday, can continue their preparations without interruption. In Boone County in central Missouri, some voters in the 3rd and 4th districts would have moved into the 5th District and some from the 4th to the 3rd. County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 16 in-person absentee ballots and one overseas ballot had been cast by Friday morning. While most are from voters in the 3rd District who would not have changed if the Supreme Court had upheld Clark’s order, five could not wait. Other voters who have come to the office have decided to wait, she said. “At least one person didn’t have an option,” Lennon said Wednesday of a voter who…”
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“The decision means election officials, who began accepting absentee ballots Tuesday, can continue their preparations without interruption. In Boone County in central Missouri, some voters in the 3rd and 4th districts would have moved into the 5th District and some from the 4th to the 3rd. County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 16 in-person absentee ballots and one overseas ballot had been cast by Friday morning. While most are from voters in the 3rd District who would not have changed if the Supreme Court had upheld Clark’s order, five could not wait. Other voters who have come to the office have decided to wait, she said. “At least one person didn’t have an option,” Lennon said Wednesday of a voter who cast their ballot on Tuesday, the first day of absentee voting. “They were leaving today.” In St. Charles County, 410 of the 1,889 absentee ballots sent locally and to overseas voters are in the 2nd District and could not be counted if the districts had changed, county elections Director Kurt Bahr said. “If the courts change the map we will have to reach out to them and ask if they want a new ballot,” Bahr said.”
Most coverage of Friday’s Missouri ruling is about which party gains a seat. Read it from the county clerk’s counter instead. Absentee voting had started Tuesday. Boone County had 17 ballots in. St. Charles had 410 absentee ballots out in the 2nd District alone that couldn’t have been counted under a new map. The county would have had to reach out and offer those voters new ballots.
“The Purcell principle applies with even greater force here. The election is not merely upcoming; it has already started. Ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed. Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting.”
People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 (per curiam, Sept. 25, 2026)supremecourt.gov
The Court’s own reasoning leans on exactly that. Purcell normally means courts shouldn’t change the rules close to an election. Here the justices say it’s past close: ballots are printed, mailed and coming back.
“So in the several-month period before the August primary election, the Missouri Secretary of State was well aware that conducting the August primary election with the 2025 map carried significant risks. The Secretary nonetheless chose to proceed with the 2025 map for the primary.”
People Not Politicians v. Onder, No. 26A388 (per curiam, Sept. 25, 2026)supremecourt.govThis part answers the main argument from the other side. The Eighth Circuit and the Republican attorneys general blamed the Missouri Supreme Court’s Sept. 3 ruling for the chaos. The per curiam points to a state ruling from May that already flagged the risk, and says the Secretary of State used the 2025 map for the primary anyway. Unsigned, no noted dissents.
“All told, new congressional districts are being used this year in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. All favor Republicans except in California and Utah, where the new boundaries could help Democrats. If the districts all played out as designed, Republicans could net up to nine additional seats, but a good year for Democrats could reduce that tally.”
9 states have new US House districts for the midterm elections after Trump urged changessemissourian.com
And the zoom-out, so Missouri isn’t read as the whole story. Nine states are voting on new House maps this year. Seven favor Republicans and two, California and Utah, could help Democrats. Missouri is the one where the clock ran out on the change.