Utah Judge Orders New Congressional Maps For 2026 In Another Redistricting Twist

A Utah territory judge has ruled that nan authorities must redraw its legislature districts because nan state’s Republican-controlled Legislature erred erstwhile it overruled a ballot measurement passed by voters that sought to rein successful partisan gerrymandering.

The ruling adds yet different wrinkle to nan nationalist conflict for power of Congress adjacent twelvemonth — and really nan legislature representation is evolving up of nan 2026 midterm elections.

Republicans are defending a constrictive lead successful nan U.S. House of Representatives, but Texas Republicans, urged connected by President Donald Trump, embarked connected a uncommon mid-decade effort to redraw nan state's lines successful nan hopes of netting up to 5 much legislature seats for nan GOP.

That has lit a lucifer that has a fistful of different states considering redrawing their ain lines. Last week, successful consequence to Texas, California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature passed its ain plan to inquire voters to temporarily redraw lines to create up to 5 caller Democratic-leaning seats there. And Republican and Democratic leaders successful different states person mused astir pursuing suit.

At rumor successful Utah is simply a long-running tribunal conflict complete the 2018 ballot proposition that created an independent redistricting committee to urge legislature maps. And it’s unclear whether that conflict will beryllium resolved and whether Utah will person caller maps for nan midterms.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Monday that nan Legislature’s attorneys person said they could entreaty a ruling to authorities courts aliases moreover nan U.S. Supreme Court.

Under nan position of nan 2018 ballot measure, nan Legislature was required to either o.k. aliases disapprove those maps, and voters approved guardrails for really caller districts should beryllium drawn. One of those was a prohibition connected partisan gerrymandering.

In 2020, nan state Legislature responded by passing a caller law that softened nan partisan redistricting prohibition and nixed nan request that legislators ballot connected nan independent commission's map, among different things.

In her 76-page ruling, Judge Dianna M. Gibson wrote that nan Legislature "intentionally stripped away" nan bosom of nan 2018 betterment passed by voters erstwhile it passed its ain authorities conscionable a fewer years later.

"Redistricting is not a specified workout successful governmental line-drawing; it strikes astatine nan very bosom of our democracy," she wrote.

"The measurement territory boundaries are drawn determines whether nan correct to ballot is meaningful, whether adjacent protection is honored, and whether nan basal promises of our authorities and national constitutions are upheld," Gibson continued. "How territory lines are drawn tin either safeguard practice and guarantee accountability by elected representatives aliases erode nationalist trust, soundlessness voices and weaken nan norm of law."

Finding that nan Legislature "unconstitutionally repealed" nan ballot measure, nan judge barred nan authorities from moving guardant pinch early elections nether its existent legislature territory lines. And she directed nan Legislature to create a remedial representation wrong 30 days that follows nan guidelines passed by voters successful 2018.

Utah is simply a heavy Republican authorities and backed President Donald Trump by much than 20 points, 58%-37%, successful nan past election. The state's House delegation is presently made up of 4 Republicans.

But its biggest organization halfway — Salt Lake County, which accounts for much than one-third of Utah's organization — leans Democratic. The region backed Harris by 10 points successful 2024. The existent legislature representation splits it up betwixt 4 districts that instrumentality retired crossed nan remainder of nan state's Republican strongholds.