Utah’s political landscape is consumed by a battle over gerrymandering, as Republicans race against a deadline to gather enough signatures to put a repeal of the state’s ban on partisan map-drawing on the November ballot. The effort comes amid ongoing legal challenges to the current congressional map, which was redrawn by a judge after finding the legislature’s previous attempt unlawfully favored the Republican party.
As of , the GOP-backed Utahns for Representative Government (UFRG) had collected 88,948 validated signatures, according to the lieutenant governor’s office. To qualify for the ballot, they need a total of 140,748 valid signatures by . This figure doesn’t include unverified submissions already with county clerks, or packets still awaiting submission by UFRG.
County clerks are opening their offices this weekend to process the final signature packets, a crucial step in determining the initiative’s fate. The UFRG has intensified its efforts, including a plea from Governor Spencer Cox for voter signatures and staging signature-gathering events statewide.
The current dispute centers on Proposition 4, a 2018 ballot initiative that established an independent redistricting commission and aimed to prevent partisan gerrymandering. Republican lawmakers subsequently sought to circumvent Proposition 4, leading to legal challenges. In , Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that the legislature’s congressional map was illegally gerrymandered and imposed a new map for the election, creating a district in Salt Lake County that leans Democratic. This decision sparked further legal action from Republican legislators, and officials.
Simultaneously, Republican legislators and members of Utah’s congressional delegation are pursuing legal battles in both the Utah Supreme Court and federal court, seeking to overturn Judge Gibson’s rulings and reinstate the legislatively-drawn map that created four districts considered safe for Republican candidates. Lawyers representing those challenging the court-ordered map have asked a U.S. District Judge to dismiss the federal case, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court has deferred to state courts on such matters.
The lieutenant governor’s office has set a deadline of to resolve the matter. Even if UFRG gathers enough signatures, the initiative’s impact won’t be felt in the midterm elections. The group hopes a successful repeal of Proposition 4 will allow the legislature to redraw congressional maps for the election without the constraints of the independent commission and the ban on partisan gerrymandering.
The signature-gathering process isn’t without opposition. Better Boundaries and other groups are actively contacting voters, urging them to withdraw their signatures from the UFRG petition. As of , over 1,300 voters have submitted forms to remove their names, a number that is reportedly gaining momentum.
The situation echoes past efforts to challenge Proposition 4. In , a similar initiative, Count My Vote, initially qualified for the ballot but ultimately fell short after opponents successfully convinced enough signers to rescind their support.
The legal battles extend beyond the map itself. The core of the dispute lies in the question of who has the authority to draw congressional boundaries – the legislature or an independent commission. The League of Women Voters and Mormon Women for Ethical Government initially sued, arguing that the legislature’s attempt to undo Proposition 4 violated citizens’ constitutional right to initiative. The Utah Supreme Court agreed, reinstating Proposition 4 and prompting Judge Gibson to redraw the maps.
The current legal challenges represent a multi-pronged effort by Utah Republicans to regain control over the redistricting process. The outcome of both the signature-gathering effort and the ongoing court cases will have significant implications for the state’s political landscape and the balance of power in Congress.
