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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Election Bizarrerie|in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CN) - A state judge refused to delay the start of candidacy filing for the state Senate, which began Tuesday - even though the new lines for state Senate districts have not been completed.

The judge's ruling means that a candidate could file in one district, but be placed in a different district when the new map is approved.

At issue is the new state Senate district map, which is required to reflect population shifts shown by the 2010 Census.

The Missouri Supreme Court threw out the original map this year and ordered the process to begin again.

Late last week, a bipartisan committee finally agreed to a new map, which still needs to clear several administrative hurdles before being made final. Until that happens, the old map is still in use.

A lawsuit was filed on Monday on behalf of a woman who claimed the 2000 state Senate map was outdated and constitutionally suspect.

During a hearing that day, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster agreed that a 15-day delay should be issued.

But Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green denied the request.

"The Circuit Court of Cole County does not run the state of Missouri - that's something for someone else to figure out," Judge Green said, according to The Associated Press.

The state Senate maps are not the only ones in limbo.

On Monday, the Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in a challenge to the new state House district map.

And the state supreme court still has not ruled on a challenge to the state's congressional map.

But unlike the state Senate map, candidates filing for those offices will file based on the new boundaries.

The month-long period for filing for candidacy for federal, state and county offices began Tuesday and will end on March 27.

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