Two decisions handed down today by the Missouri Supreme Court clear the way for two St. Louis-area democrat state lawmakers to run in the August Primary.
The Court upheld the trial court ruling that Representative Sylvester Taylor II can run in the 75th House District against Representative Rochelle Walton Gray. Gray petitioned the trial court saying that Taylor was ineligible because he didn’t live in that district for one year prior to the general election. The Supreme Court’s ruling says he only has to have lived in the county or any of the districts from which the 75th was drawn during reapportionment, and Taylor meets those criteria.
See the summary and the decision on the Walton Gray petition.
The Court overturned a trial court decision barring Representative Jamilah Nasheed from running in the 5th Senate District against Senator Robin Wright-Jones and Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford. Wright-Jones had petitioned that Nasheed was not eligible because she didn’t live in the district. The Court says an exception in the Constitution that lets a candidate live in any district from which the new district was drawn in the year prior to reapportionment.
See the summary and the decision on the Wright-Jones petition.
The Court usually accepts post-motion opinions for 15 days after handing down a decision, but under the expedited nature of this case that deadline is tomorrow. Its decision is not final until it issues a mandate.