Mo. high court to consider redistricting challenge

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Supreme Court plans to take another look at the state's newly redrawn congressional districts.

Two separate legal challenges have sought to block the new U.S. House map, claiming the new districts are not sufficiently compact. The state high court previously ordered further review of the claims, and a trial judge rejected the cases earlier this month.

However, the state Supreme Court was scheduled to consider oral arguments in the redistricting challenges Thursday.

Congressional districts are redrawn each decade based on the most recent census. Missouri is dropping from nine congressional districts to eight because its population growth since 2000 did not keep pace with other states. The Republican-controlled Legislature enacted its redistricting map last year after overriding the veto of Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.