u/KacenBayless

Hi, this is Kacen Bayless from The Kansas City Star.

It's been a dizzying week in Missouri politics. The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the state's gerrymandered congressional map, handing Republicans and President Donald Trump a win and thrusting Kansas City into a bitter fight for U.S. House seats.

But the ruling also left unclear whether the map will be used in the 2026 elections. The court found that it was “impossible to say” whether the map was in effect until Secretary of State Denny Hoskins decided whether to certify for the ballot a referendum seeking to strike down the map.

The ruling has ushered in a chaotic and uncertain period for voters and election clerks who are unsure which district they live in and whether the election itself might eventually be overturned.

The stakes are extraordinarily high for both Missouri and nationally. Critics of gerrymandering have cast the moment as a major test of democracy in American politics.

It's a lot to unpack. The Star has been covering Missouri's unprecedented redistricting push since the Trump administration first leaned on state lawmakers last summer. And, throughout the last week, we've tried to break down the impact of the rulings on Missouri.

Here are gift links to some of our stories, which are free to read without a subscription:

The map's boundaries: LINK

May 14: Missouri AG threatens legal action against clerks who don’t use gerrymandered map

May 14: 'Untenable.' Missouri map ruling ushers in chaotic period for voters

May 13: KC residents lament questions on new MO voting map: 'I don't know where I am'

May 13: Why there is a glimmer of hope for Democrats in Missouri gerrymandering rulings

May 12: Missouri Supreme Court upholds Kansas City's gerrymandered map in win for Trump

May 12: Attorneys urge Missouri high court to block KC's gerrymandered map in key cases

May 10: Top Missouri court to decide on Kansas City's gerrymandered map. What's at stake?