<hr /></p><p>Along with a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, Raymore City Council member Jeff Cox this week filed a lawsuit with the Missouri Supreme Court challenging the redistricting map dividing territory among the state&#x92;s 163 House seats.</p><p>The suit, filed against Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, seeks to prohibit Carnahan from making any use of the new House map in connection with the candidate filings for the 2012 primary or general elections, Cox said.</p><p>&#x93;I feel that the new districts are legally questionable on a number of points, and, if implemented, would be harmful to the citizens of Raymore and Cass County,&#x94; he said.</p><p>The New House Map divides Raymore into three separate seats. The northern section of Raymore is placed into Grandview-based District 37, the majority of which is in Jackson County.</p><p>The far west side of Raymore is placed into Belton-based District 56, which also stretches into Jackson County.</p><p>The remaining southern portion of Raymore is put into central Cass County-based District 55.</p><p>&#x93;To my knowledge, this is the first time Raymore has been divided into more than one House seat, let alone into three,&#x94; Cox said.</p><p>With a population of under 20,000 people, &#x93;I see no legitimate reason that the citizens of Raymore could not have been kept together in the same House district, the ideal population of which is over 37,000 people. I consider the citizens of Raymore to be a community of interest, and believe that splitting us up into three separate districts will have a detrimental affect on our voice in State government,&#x94; he said.</p><p>Similarly, Cass County is now split up into five different seats, with a number of them being shared with surrounding counties. The County&#x92;s population could have very well been drawn into a fewer number of districts that would not have the affect of diluting the voice of Cass Countians in Jefferson City, according to Cox.</p><p>A total of 14 bi-partisan plaintiffs have joined in the suit. Two of the plaintiffs are former state senators (one from each party), two are current state representatives (one from each party), and three, including Cox are attorneys.</p><p>&#x93;While I certainly do not take lightly the participation in any sort of litigation against the State, I feel that the present circumstances dictate a duty for me to stand up for my hometown and home county, and combat the mentality in Jefferson City which places partisan politics above the welfare of our local communities,&#x94; he said.