Why Some Missouri Counties Are Refusing to Update Voter Rolls
On Wednesday, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said her office would not update voter rolls to reflect Missouri’s new congressional map, even after the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the map against constitutional challenges.
At first glance, that sounds confusing. If the map survived in court, why are some counties still refusing to use it?
The Supreme Court decided two different questions earlier this week, both unanimously.
The first question was whether the new “Missouri First” map was constitutional. The Court said yes.
The second question was whether the presence of a referendum would temporarily freeze the map before voters get a chance to weigh in.
That’s where things get procedural.
The Referendum Fight
After lawmakers passed the new congressional map during a special session, opponents filed a referendum petition in an attempt to put the issue before Missouri voters.
Under Missouri law, referendum petitions allow citizens to challenge newly passed laws by gathering signatures and forcing a statewide vote.
Earlier this year, a lower court ruled that the new map remains in effect unless and until the Secretary of State formally certifies the referendum petition as sufficient.
In practical terms, that means the new map stays in effect for now.
Some local election officials are not happy about this.
Why Boone County Is Refusing To Update Rolls
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon is the most visible official resisting implementation of the new map.
Lennon argues that the Missouri Supreme Court still has not fully resolved the referendum dispute and warns that changing voter rolls now could create “chaos, confusion, and unnecessary expense” if the Missouri First Map is later suspended.
Timing
The timing issue may be the biggest part of the fight.
May 26th is the final certification date for the August 4th election. That is likely to be a point of no return in this dispute.
Courts are exceedingly reluctant to change election rules after an election is certified.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has until August 4 to formally certify or reject the referendum petition, the same day as Missouri’s primary election.
That means counties will probably spend the summer preparing ballots and assigning voters under the new map unless the Missouri Supreme Court steps in earlier.
By the time the referendum issue is fully resolved, the election could already be too far underway for courts to realistically force the state to switch back to the older map.
The state’s position is that laws remain in effect unless referendum petitions are formally certified and that election officials need clear, stable rules while elections are being prepared. That was also the lower court’s opinion.
It’s also a matter of common sense and good governance.
We can’t run a state where any one person can suspend laws by the mere submission of petition signatures.
There has been no suggestion that the Secretary of State is not processing the initiative petitions as he should, just that supporters of this particular referendum wish he would process it faster than the law requires.
Lennon’s National Role In Election Administration
Brianna Lennon is not just a local county clerk.
Before becoming Boone County Clerk, Lennon worked in the Missouri Secretary of State’s office under former Secretary of State Jason Kander. She now co-hosts “High Turnout Wide Margins”, a nationally known election administration podcast focused on election policy, voting systems, and election management.
Boone County has participated in the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, a national election administration program organized by the Center for Tech and Civic Life, the same nonprofit organization that became controversial among conservatives after distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in private election grants during the 2020 election cycle.
The Alliance, otherwise known as “Zuckbucks 2.0,” continues to give private nonprofit networks influence inside local election offices.
What Happens Next
For now, Missouri’s new congressional map remains in place.
But until the Missouri Supreme Court fully resolves the referendum question or the Secretary of State formally certifies or rejects the petition, left-wing networks will continue to do whatever they can to stop the implementation of the Missouri First Map.
And with the August primary getting closer, the clock may matter more than the legal arguments.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA