Voters in Howard County will cast ballots based on the 2022 congressional map following a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday. While Howard County was included in an expanded District 5 passed in 2025, the nation’s highest court ruled last week that the new map would not be used in November’s midterm elections, instead ruling in favor of a 2022 map that keeps Howard County inside the District 4 boundary.

The Missouri legislature passed a new map favoring Republicans in September 2025. A voter petition to use the 2022 map was validated by the courts, but only after the August primary election had taken place. The wrangling forced election officials to scramble to rewrite ballots.

The 2022 map that will appear on midterm ballots gives the GOP a 6-2 seat advantage. The rejected 2025 map aimed for a 7-1 split while putting pressure on Kansas City 5th Congressional District Democrat Representative Emanuel, II.

Republican Rick Brattin, a Missouri Congressman, won the August GOP primary for the new 5th District. On Friday, he expressed his disappointment in the Supreme Court’s ruling in a statement, calling it a travesty for Missouri voters and for the integrity of our elections.

“Voters who lawfully participated in the August primary will be moved into districts where they had no voice in choosing the nominees who will appear on their ballot in November. This is the most unprecedented form of voter disenfranchisement in American history, and Missouri voters deserve far better,” Brattin said.

Howard County Clerk Shelly Howell last week urged voters to be patient until courts ultimately decided which map would be used. Absentee voting for the November 3 midterm began last Tuesday, September 22. The day before, on September 21, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the Missouri GOP’s House map, which placed Howard and several other counties in the new 5th U.S. Congressional district.

But once a voter had cast a vote, a new ballot could not be issued, even in the event of another map change, Howell explained.

On Monday, Howell told this newspaper that she had the proper ballots for absentee voting based on Friday's decision by the Supreme Court. The Clerk’s office is open for in-person absentee voting in the Howard County Courthouse from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The last day for new Missouri voters to register to vote is October 7. No-excuse absentee voting begins on October 20. The last day to mail out absentee ballots is October 21.

The Clerk’s office will be open on Saturday, October 31, from 8 a.m. to noon and from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. for voting on Monday, November 2. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 3.