Utah Judge Slaps Down Republican Attempt to Gerrymander the State

Utah Capitol Building
Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash. Unsplash+ License obtained by IVN Editor Shawn Griffiths.
Shawn GriffithsShawn Griffiths
Published: 26 Aug, 2025
2 min read

Utah may be added to the list of states that will redraw their congressional maps in 2025. But unlike Texas and California, it is to correct a gerrymander by the Republican-controlled legislature, which has tried to sidestep the state’s independent redistricting commission.

In 2018, voters adopted Proposition 4, a constitutional amendment that created a 7-member independent commission that makes recommendations for new electoral maps every decade. It is then the legislature's decision to approve or reject any changes.

But recommendations by the commission, by law, must be considered and any decision made in approving or rejecting recommendations has to be explained.

National Reform Organizations Condemn Texas and California Over Gerrymandering

Since then, lawmakers have tried to weaken the commission – including passing a bill that effectively repealed and replaced it, but the Utah Supreme Court ruled that they cannot do that to a citizen initiative that reforms government.

This affirmed a decision in a lower court made by Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson.

Lawmakers also tried to put an amendment on the 2024 ballot that – if approved by voters – would allow them to repeal citizen ballot initiatives. This, too, was tossed by the courts. But the legal battle continued.

When the law that repealed Prop 4 was struck down by the Utah Supreme Court, the case was sent back to Gibson, who was asked to determine if the state’s congressional map needed to be redrawn.

On August 25, she ruled that it did, finding that the current map, adopted in 2021, is unlawful because state lawmakers tried to repeal Prop 4 and ignore it in favor of their own map -- thus constituting a gerrymander.

“The nature of the violation lies in the Legislature’s refusal to respect the people’s exercise of their constitutional lawmaking power and to honor the people’s right to reform their government,” Gibson said.

IVP Donate

Her ruling makes one thing clear: Prop 4 is the law in Utah -- and it must be respected.

Here, there is no question that Proposition 4 is overwhelmingly substantive legislation to reform and establish a statutory redistricting process."

It’s not official that Utah will redraw its maps just yet. Republican leaders in the legislature can still appeal the decision. However, this would mean appealing to the Utah State Supreme Court, which has already sided with Gibson.

To understand the controversy surrounding Utah’s congressional map, it is important to clarify that all 4 U.S. House seats in the state are held by Republicans, even though the largest population center, Salt Lake City (home to a third of the state’s electorate) leans Democrat.

The city and its population are divided into the 4 House districts, giving Republicans at least a 10-point advantage in every district, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, with one seat showing as high as R+16.

In this article

You Might Also Like

CA flag and American flag.
New Poll: 54% of Voters Buying What Dems are Selling on California Prop 50
As early voting for the November 4 special election in California begins, a new poll shows a majority of voters may end up supporting Prop 50, which suspends the state's independent redistricting commission in favor of a legislative gerrymander....
07 Oct, 2025
-
2 min read
Nevada Dems Block Independent Redistricting from Going before Voters – Again!
Nevada Dems Block Independent Redistricting from Going before Voters – Again!
With deep frustration, Vote Nevada PAC announced it is withdrawing its ballot initiative to create an independent redistricting commission -- a proposal meant to bring openness, accountability, and fairness to how Nevada’s political maps are drawn....
03 Oct, 2025
-
5 min read
Proposition 50 voter guide
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map....
01 Oct, 2025
-
9 min read
Proposition 50 voter guide
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map....
01 Oct, 2025
-
9 min read
court gavel.
Virtual Discussion: The Fight for Equal Independent Voting Rights Makes it to SCOTUS
Every major voting rights movement in U.S. history – whether successful or not – has intertwined with landmark litigation. This was the case for women’s suffrage. It was the case for civil rights. And it is the case in the ongoing effort to protect the right of all voters to have equal participation in taxpayer-funded elections – something millions of independent voters are denied across the U.S....
29 Sep, 2025
-
2 min read
Supreme Court building
SCOTUS Considers Challenge to Closed Primaries -- Here's Why It Is Such a Big Deal
In a dramatic step forward for litigation challenging closed primaries, the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated they are going to conference to discuss whether to grant a writ of certiorari to Polelle v. Florida Secretary of State; a case challenging Florida's closed primaries that Open Primaries has supported since its inception....
26 Sep, 2025
-
2 min read