Let the Sun Shine - Ending the Secrecy Behind Missouri's Legislative Redistricting Process

The new 27th state Senate District

Every 10 years, Missouri is constitutionally charged with the responsibility to redraw the legislative districts that represent you in the General Assembly based on population growth and decreases. Because each district must have roughly the same number of people, the shift in population can change state House and state Senate districts significantly. Changing the makeup of legislative districts is an important process because it can have a dramatic effect on how your voice is represented in the Missouri General Assembly.

On Monday, a second citizens' commission approved a third map of the 34 state Senate districts. This map has major changes from the current senate districts, including the 27th Senatorial District. The map approved Monday removes Mississippi County from the district and adds Wayne County. To the right is a map of the new 27th senatorial district and to view all 34 districts, visit http://oa.mo.gov/bp/redistricting/senatemap/

To get to this point, the process began with governor appointed bipartisan citizen commissions charged to draw the new state House and state Senate boundaries. Having failed this year to come to an agreement, the Missouri Constitution then required maps be drawn by a six-member panel of Appeals Court judges appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court.

The process, however, has taken longer than expected because the judicial commission released their map to significant public criticism. Afterwards, the judicial commission again met without anyone knowing and made substantial changes a week later. Because of these actions by the judicial commission, the court's second senatorial map was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, which instructed that the entire process be started from the beginning. It is the second citizens' commission which drew and approved Monday's map.

In my opinion, one of the reasons for the redistricting mess this year has been that the process is conducted in secret and allows for special deals to be made. During the judicial commissions' work, the judges decided to draw the senate maps without explanation. Even after releasing their maps, the judicial commission has said it does not believe it was required to follow Missouri's Sunshine laws. This secrecy allowed the judicial commission to both avoid being held accountable for neither their map nor their rationale for drawing the new districts.

In my opinion, you were simply cheated your right to participate in and understand the process in which you will be represented following this November's election in the next General Assembly. This is why I introduced Senate Joint Resolution 37 to change the way Missouri's Senate and House districts are drawn. It has already passed the Senate and if passed by the House, and ratified by a vote this November, it would require all meetings of any Senate or House redistricting commission to be public and open. The drawing of Representative and Senate district lines is so fundamental to our democratic process that such activity should never occur in secret. Passage of SJR 37 would ensure a smoother and more transparent process in 2021.

Contact Me

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions, and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2459. You may write to me at Jason Crowell; Missouri Senate; State Capitol; Jefferson City, MO 65101, or email me at: jcrowell@senate.mo.gov or visit me on the web at http://www.senate.mo.gov/crowell.