By Ricky Dana, Candidate for U.S. House – Missouri’s 4th District
Missouri gerrymandering took center stage this week as Republican leaders opened a special session to redraw congressional districts mid-decade and to weaken Missouri’s citizen-led ballot initiative process. Both moves are about locking in political power and reversing the will of the voters who have repeatedly used direct democracy to improve our state.
Mid-decade map rigging
The new plan would split communities—especially in and around Kansas City—so that partisan mapmakers can tilt outcomes before a single vote is cast. Redistricting is supposed to follow the census once each decade. A mid-cycle do-over is a clear effort to predetermine results. This is Missouri gerrymandering, plain and simple, and it threatens fair representation for families, farmers, and workers across our region.
Attacking the initiative petition process
Legislators are also pushing changes that would require constitutional amendments to win not only statewide, but also in each congressional district. That means a minority of districts could override the statewide majority. Missourians have used initiatives to expand Medicaid, raise wages, and protect personal freedoms. Undermining this process does nothing but silence voters. If these rules had been in place before, many successful reforms likely would have been blocked despite winning statewide support.
Why Missourians should care
Maps decide whether communities have a real voice in Washington. When politicians slice and dice neighborhoods to engineer outcomes, accountability disappears. That hurts all of us—rural and urban alike—because the issues that matter here in mid-Missouri and western Missouri—health care access, farm policy, rural broadband, good schools, safe roads—require representatives who actually answer to voters. Ending Missouri gerrymandering restores trust and ensures every Missourian’s vote counts equally.
My commitment
When I’m elected as your congressman, I will work with the ACLU and other nonpartisan allies to restore fair representation. That includes supporting independent, community-respecting maps; defending the right of citizens to place measures on the ballot; and promoting federal safeguards that protect voting rights for every Missourian. Voters should choose their politicians—not the other way around.
We’ve seen the pattern: when Missourians get a direct say, we choose practical solutions. That’s why some politicians are trying to change the rules. I’m running to put power back where it belongs—with the people. If you share that goal, stay engaged, speak up at hearings, and help us organize across every county in our district.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering happens when those in power manipulate district lines to help their own party or protect incumbents. Instead of voters picking their representatives, representatives try to pick their voters. Missouri gerrymandering is the current attempt to redraw maps mid-decade to predetermine outcomes.
Why does changing the initiative petition process matter?
Citizen initiatives are how Missourians pass statewide reforms when politicians won’t act. Requiring a win both statewide and in every congressional district would let a minority block the majority. That undermines direct democracy and weakens voter power.
How would this affect everyday Missourians?
Unfair maps and higher hurdles for initiatives mean fewer competitive elections and less accountability. That makes it harder to deliver on the issues folks care about—like rural health care, farm and small-business growth, infrastructure, and strong schools. Fair maps create fair fights and better representation.
What will Ricky Dana do?
I will partner with the ACLU and other allies to defend voting rights, protect the initiative process, and promote fair, community-centered maps. The goal is simple: every Missourian’s vote should carry equal weight, and communities should not be carved up for partisan gain.
Sources:
AP News – Missouri takes up Trump’s redistricting effort
Axios – Missouri Republicans trying to split KC into three districts
St. Louis Public Radio – Special session on redistricting and initiatives
KCUR – Lawmakers begin work on Trump-backed redistricting
Democracy Docket – Lawsuit seeks to stop the governor’s gerrymander session
