Missouri's Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has refused to count nearly one-third of the petition pages, effectively blocking a statewide vote on the newly drawn congressional map. The map was redrawn at President Donald Trump's urging, with the intention of bolstering Republicans' chances in this year's midterms.
According to Secretary Hoskins, he is excluding signatures collected before October 14, which he believes are invalid, despite having received over 49,700 pages of signatures from a group called People Not Politicians. Only 33,068 pages were submitted for verification, sparking concerns about the legitimacy of the petition.
This move comes as part of an investigation launched by the state's attorney general into unsubstantiated allegations against the group involved in collecting signatures. The controversy surrounding this case is not new, with Missouri Republicans having employed various tactics to prevent voters from having a say on the issue.
It appears that Secretary Hoskins' rejection of the signatures is directly linked to his efforts to protect the gerrymandered map, which critics claim dilutes the voting power of Black communities. As the case makes its way through the state court system, it remains to be seen whether the judge overseeing the proceedings will issue a ruling on the petition's validity.
The decision by Secretary Hoskins raises questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Missouri and highlights the tension between the government's efforts to protect gerrymandered maps and the democratic right to participate in shaping the electoral landscape.
According to Secretary Hoskins, he is excluding signatures collected before October 14, which he believes are invalid, despite having received over 49,700 pages of signatures from a group called People Not Politicians. Only 33,068 pages were submitted for verification, sparking concerns about the legitimacy of the petition.
This move comes as part of an investigation launched by the state's attorney general into unsubstantiated allegations against the group involved in collecting signatures. The controversy surrounding this case is not new, with Missouri Republicans having employed various tactics to prevent voters from having a say on the issue.
It appears that Secretary Hoskins' rejection of the signatures is directly linked to his efforts to protect the gerrymandered map, which critics claim dilutes the voting power of Black communities. As the case makes its way through the state court system, it remains to be seen whether the judge overseeing the proceedings will issue a ruling on the petition's validity.
The decision by Secretary Hoskins raises questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Missouri and highlights the tension between the government's efforts to protect gerrymandered maps and the democratic right to participate in shaping the electoral landscape.
. I mean, who needs transparency and fairness when you've got a bunch of signatures that don't fit into your little plan? It's like, hello, we're talking about democracy here, not some backroom deal 
.
. It's all about protecting those gerrymandered maps, because who needs fair representation, right?
! Denny Hoskins is straight up trying to sabotage the democratic process, and I am FED UP 
! Like, what even is the point of having a vote if our voices aren't gonna be heard? And let's get real, gerrymandering is just code for "we're trying to cheat the system" 
. I mean, come on Missouri Republicans, can't you see that this move is just a desperate attempt to cling to power? 
and now this is coming up at the worst possible time with midterms just around the corner... it's like they're trying to manipulate the system for their own gain. 
this is getting so crazy! like, why would anyone try to block a vote from happening just because it might not go their way? 
especially when it comes to Black communities, who already face so many barriers in the voting process. it's just not fair! 
they're literally trying to block a vote on a congressional map 
just because it doesn't favor them anymore... like what even is the point of having an election if u cant make sure ur own side wins 
i'm lowkey worried about the voting rights in this state now 
it's all so shady and manipulative 
i guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out in court 
hopefully the judge will see through this mess and uphold the democratic process 
. I mean, can't have some shady group just messing around with the election process, right? 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out in court 
. But honestly, the whole thing does seem a bit fishy... like, why would Secretary Hoskins be so keen on blocking this petition? 
It seems like he's doing this because some Republicans want to keep their seats safe and don't want Black communities to have a say in how they're represented.
. It's like they think we don't notice what's going on. But the good news is that the AG is looking into it, so maybe someone will get held accountable 
. We need more transparency in these elections, you feel me? 
. secretary hoskins needs to get his act together and verify those signatures already! this whole thing just smells like politics as usual 
...
This whole thing smells like a gerrymandered mess and I'm not buying it. The fact that Missouri Republicans are using underhanded tactics to block voters from participating is just plain sus 
IF PEOPLE NOT POLITICIANS HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE Faced SOME KIND OF CONSEQUENCES, BUT RATHER HE'S JUST CHUCKING OUT ALL THOSE VALID SIGNATURES AS INVALID JUST TO PROTECT HIS PARTY'S SKIN! 
. i mean, trump was all about drawing this map to help republicans do better in the midterms... now it seems like secretary hoskins is trying to pull a fast one and block a democratic vote altogether 
The fact that they're doing this while claiming to be protecting the integrity of the electoral process. Give me a break! 
I guess not when you're as out of touch with reality as some of these politicians are. 
I hope the judge in the state court system will make a fair decision about the petition's validity, otherwise it'll be another example of voter suppression