In Missouri, the machinery of democratic representation has fractured along competing legal authorities, leaving voters and officials uncertain which congressional boundaries will govern the November election. Hours apart, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a state ruling requiring older district maps, while a federal judge ordered the opposite — that newer, Republican-drawn lines be used instead. The conflict is rooted in a deeper tension between legislative power, citizen referendum rights, and the rhythms of electoral administration, with a state-level vote on the maps now scheduled as Propositi