On Thursday, volunteers in the Kansas City area began turning in signatures they collected for a petition challenging the redrawn congressional map. The group behind the petition, People Not Politicians, says over 2,200 Missourians have signed up to collect signatures across the state.
“I think it’s important that Missourians values are reflected, whether or not they are Republicans or Democrats,” said volunteer Peter Coyne. “They are just Missourians. This map is dividing up Kansas City into three new congressional districts, splitting the city really in the middle of the road near the historic northeast. Honestly, I think it’s bad for Kansas City and it’s bad for Missouri.”
Coyne says that with the new map, he would be in the 6th congressional district. As he’s collected signatures the last few days, he says people he’s spoken to are upset with the new map.
“The energy that I’ve seen, not just in Kansas City but around the state, from what I’ve heard from calls with people who live in Osage County or down in Hickory County or wherever they are, they’re not pleased that they’re getting meshed in with part of Kansas City as their representation,” said Coyne. “The needs of those counties and the needs of people who live in Kansas City are so different and far between that one congressperson having to address both of those is not efficient.”
Following the special session to approve the redrawn congressional district map and changes to Missouri’s Initiative Petition process, there have been a slew of challenges in the courts and through petitions like this one. Governor Mike Kehoe was asked about them at an event in Columbia, MO, on Thursday. “I’m comfortable with the folks that we’ve been working with,” said Kehoe. “I really believe they’re very good on these issues. We think we’ll stand all those challenges, yes.”
The governor’s office says Kehoe is planning on signing the redrawn map into law on Sunday. The People Not Politicians petition will need to get over 100,000 signatures turned into the Secretary of State’s Office by Dec. 11, to put a pause on the map. If the petition meets all the requirements, the question of whether to keep the current map or switch to the new map would be placed on the November 2026 statewide ballot. The group and volunteers are confident they’ll be able to do that.
“We have to prove time and time again that we know what’s best for ourselves and the only way people are going to listen is if our representatives go and carry out the will of the people,” said Leann Villaluz, a volunteer collecting signatures. “All of us are on the same page, and we know what we want, which is what we vote for. People are pretty enthusiastic about signing these petitions and letting lawmakers know that we are not ok with these illegal maps.”
Volunteers will continue canvassing in Kansas City this Saturday.
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