Politics & Government

Courts Confirm Redistricting, Carnahan vs. Clay Will Happen

The Missouri Supreme Court has affirmed redistricting lines drawn earlier this year, pitting the two incumbents against each other, in an area where they'd represent the City of Hazelwood.

will face incumbent in the August primary to be the Democratic nominee in the .

Early Friday it was made final.

The 1st District, as it is currently drawn, includes all of the city of St. Louis and some surrounding municipalities, including University City, Florissant and the Hazelwood.

Find out what's happening in Hazelwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Missouri State Supreme Court issued two rulings on silencing claims regarding the constitutional validity of the congressional redistricting map in in H.B. 193. It also made a ruling regarding claims the districts are too compact and harms the Democratic party by negating a seat.

The ruling affirmed the redistricting of the , which had Rep. Carnahan's home moved from his current 3rd District to the 1st District, which Rep. Clay represents. 

Find out what's happening in Hazelwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The ruling doesn't say the districts are too compact, but the plaintiffs failed to prove this.

"The trial court ruled that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the Map violates the requirement in article III, section 45 that each district be “as compact . . . as may be” and entered judgments in favor of the defendants. On appeal, the plaintiffs claim that the trial court’s judgments erroneously interpret the constitutional standard for compactness and that the judgments are against the weight of the evidence. This Court determines that the trial court did not err in its interpretation of the constitutional compactness standard because the standard does not require absolute precision in compactness and because mandatory and permissible recognized factors can impact the configuration of district boundaries. This Court further holds that the plaintiffs do not prevail on their claim that the trial court’s judgment is against the weight of the evidence."

The primary will be held Aug. 7.

See previous coverage of the Clay/Carnahan race:


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