The state supreme court has refused to hear a challenge to the way new districts have been drawn for the Missouri House.
The court says the challenge has been filed in the wrong court and until it goes through a circuit court proceeding, the court cannot take up the case.
The ruling means the 12 people challenging the 163 new House districts must file their suit in circuit court in Jefferson City and have a judge issue an order saying the new map cannot go into effect for the 2012 elections. That action creates a court record that can be appealed. The order from the supreme court says it will expedite the case once an appeal is filed.
The issue adds another time crunch to candidate filing which begins February 28th. Congressional districts and state senate districts already have been thrown out by the supreme court. New committees will have to be picked to redraw those lines—which could be challenged in court, too.
But until new maps are drawn, many candidates won’t know what district they’ll run in. Some candidates don’t know whether they’re going to have to move….or cancel plans to move.
Columbia attorney Paul Wilson, who has filed the suit, says a new suit will be filed in circuit court “as soon as possible.”