Brianna Lennon’s county in Missouri was split between the Third and Fifth Congressional Districts on Thursday. Then the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a Republican-favored map. By afternoon, Lennon, the Boone County clerk, prepared to run an election with the Third and Fourth Districts. A year of partisan combat over the congressional map has become a deadline-busting judicial telephone game, leaving voters and officials bewildered.

Lennon spent Thursday refreshing court dockets. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who resisted older boundaries, backed down and told counties to drop the redrawn map. He said it was “very unfortunate” and warned of “hundreds of thousands of disenfranchised voters.”

The fight began when Missouri Republicans pushed a new map at President Trump’s behest, aiming to secure an additional seat and potentially end Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s career. On Tuesday, contradictory court orders left officials unsure which map was in effect. Hoskins sorted through rulings from Dallas.

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the older lines for November. Later, the Missouri Supreme Court found Hoskins in contempt. Clerks like Rachel Lightfoot in Polk County described “a lot of whiplash” and said everyone is at least three weeks behind.