## Missouri Redistricting Plan: Organization Overview Missouri’s redistricting process is not managed by a single permanent organization, but rather by a set of temporary commissions and legislative bodies that are activated each decade following the U.S. Census. These entities work together under the banner of the “Missouri Redistricting Plan” to redraw the state’s congressional and legislative district boundaries, ensuring fair and constitutional representation for all Missourians[1][2]. ## Structure and Function The process is split into two main tracks: congressional and state legislative redistricting. Congressional districts are drawn by the Missouri General Assembly and are subject to the governor’s veto[1][4]. State legislative districts, however, are handled by two independent bipartisan citizens commissions—one for the House and one for the Senate—each composed of 20 members[1]. These commissions are responsible for drafting, debating, and adopting district maps, following strict constitutional guidelines[1]. To support these commissions, the state creates a temporary Redistricting Office prior to each census. This office provides procedural guidance, administrative support, and expert demographic analysis, with the State Demographer playing a key role in ensuring maps meet legal and demographic requirements[2]. If the commissions fail to agree on a plan, the Missouri Supreme Court appoints a backup commission of appellate judges to finalize the maps[1]. ## Legal Criteria and Public Engagement Missouri law mandates that districts be as compact and contiguous as possible, minimize divisions of counties and municipalities, and adhere to strict population equality standards—generally allowing no more than a 1% deviation from the average, with limited exceptions to respect political boundaries[1][4]. The process also requires public hearings and opportunities for citizen input, though the mechanism for online public comment, established by a 2018 initiative, was removed in 2020[4]. Notably, Missouri’s redistricting criteria now explicitly emphasize partisan fairness and competitiveness, a relatively recent development reflecting national debates over ger