A federal appeals court panel heard arguments Thursday.

The case is about new congressional districts in Missouri.

Republicans drew these districts.

President Donald Trump supports them.

Three judges are on the panel.

They are from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

They are deciding the dispute.

But the U.S. Supreme Court blocked these districts.

They cannot be used in the November election.

Missouri will use its old congressional districts in November.

These are the same districts from 2024 and 2022.

The Missouri Supreme Court decided this earlier.

The U.S. Supreme Court also decided this.

Local election officials said they are already printing ballots.

They said this in a court filing.

They must mail absentee ballots by Friday.

This is a federal law deadline.

The ballots go to overseas citizens and military voters.

The Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities spoke.

They said changing districts now is "practically impossible."

They said it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

An attorney spoke for Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Onder.

He also spoke for state Sen. Rick Brattin.

The attorney said there is still time.

He said they can go back to the Trump-backed map.

Missouri Solicitor General Lou Capozzi spoke.

He asked the panel to rule.

He said the U.S. Constitution forbids a referendum petition.

He said it cannot suspend a congressional map.

The lawmakers passed this map.

Missouri's top court ruled on this.

The court said state law requires exactly that.

The judges said they would rule quickly.

They said any decision will likely go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Judge James Loken spoke.

He was appointed by former President George H. W. Bush.

He said election officials must deal with the outcome.

The other two judges are David Stras and Justin Smith.

Both were appointed by Trump.

Missouri's redistricting fight is the longest and most complex.

About a dozen states tried to change their U.S. House districts this past year.