"They are absolutely terrified of, you know, the people of the state having a chance to weigh in," the campaign's director told The Star.

If opponents of a new Missouri congressional district map get their referendum on the November 2026 ballot, that would at the very least prevent new districts from going into effect until 2028.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, Missouri's top election official, wrote the ballot language for a referendum that would overturn Republicans' recently gerrymandered congressional map. Even though the language is supposed to be unbiased,

A 13-page contract promising up to $5,000 for signature gatherers to quit has surfaced, deepening concerns about outside money, campaign finance violations and partisan maneuvering.

Put First, created last week to counter the referendum campaign seeking to put the state’s congressional map on the 2026 ballot, reported two $50,000 contributions this week.