WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court of the United States once again blocked Missouri’s controversial voting map on Thursday. Justices ruled that the state's proposed congressional boundaries violated both federal law and basic geometry. The decision marks the third time this year that the court has rejected the state’s attempts to redraw its political lines.
The Delicate Art of Redistricting
State lawmakers defended the complex design. They insisted the boundaries merely reflected a deep appreciation for Japanese paper folding. The disputed map squeezed thousands of St. Louis voters into a thin, spiraling strip. This strip closely resembled a traditional paper crane. “We wanted a voting map that brings peace and healing,” said Arthur Pendelton, Deputy Chief of Aesthetic Cartography for the Missouri Republican Party. “The fact that it also happens to eliminate a Democratic congressional seat is a beautiful, spiritual coincidence.”
Opponents of the design argued the map went too far. They pointed to several districts that required a microscope to navigate. One precinct in Kansas City reportedly ran directly through a single family’s dining room table. This division placed the husband and wife in two different congressional districts. Legal experts agreed that the state had pushed the limits of traditional gerrymandering.
A Pattern of Creative Boundaries
The latest ruling follows several previous rejections. Earlier this year, the state submitted a voting map shaped like a Gibson Les Paul guitar. Another version closely mirrored the silhouette of a startled raccoon. "Missouri cartographers are treating congressional districts like balloon animals," said Barnaby Quill, Senior Analyst of Unsolicited Forecasts at Goldman Sachs. "They are attempting to squeeze the entire electorate into a single, highly compressed shape that favors their donors."
At press time, Missouri legislators were already drafting a new voting map shaped like a magic eye poster that only reveals a Republican supermajority if you squint hard enough.
