JEFFERSON CITY — On Monday, April 4, the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting released a new congressional map that was drafted to accurately represent Missouri’s population based on the results from the 23rd Decennial Census.

Last December, it was announced that despite a population growth of 7 percent, Missouri would lose a congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, resulting in a drop of nine to eight Missouri congressional seats.

The Missouri Legislature is responsible for congressional redistricting, while the responsibility of redrawing Missouri’s Senatorial districts and House districts is given to two bipartisan commissions appointed by the governor.

The Senate Select Committee on Redistricting consists of eight lawmakers: Sens. Scott T. Rupp (Chair), R-Wentzville; Brad Lager (Vice-Chair), R-Savannah; Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau; Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon; Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown; David Pearce, R-Warrensburg; Victor Callahan, D-Independence; and Robin Wright-Jones, D-St. Louis. The congressional map drafted by this committee is debated under Senate Bill 264, which was approved by the committee, recommending that the bill move to the full Senate for debate.

In the Senate’s proposed map, the city of Centralia would become the northeast corner of the 4th Congressional District, which would extend westward to include four counties south of Kansas City along the Kansas border; would split with the 3rd Congressional District neighboring Callaway County, which includes Fulton; and would extend the 8th Congressional District to include Jefferson County, located near St. Louis. To see the Senate’s congressional map, please click here.

The Missouri Senate and House can continue to debate the congressional maps until the last day of the First Regular Session of the 96th General Assembly on May 13. After approval from the House and Senate, the governor will have his allotted time to make a decision regarding the maps.

For more information regarding redistricting in Missouri, please visit www.oa.mo.gov/bp/redistricting.

For more information about the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or e-mail newsroom@senate.mo.gov. 

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