GOP group says it met signature goal for redistricting ballot push

A Republican-aligned group aiming to overturn Utah's anti-gerrymandering law says it has met the required number of signatures to send the issue to voters in November.

Why it matters: Utahns for Representative Government, supported by President Trump, is attempting to undo a court-imposed congressional map creating a left-leaning House seat.

• Voters won't know the fate of the ballot initiative until county clerks finish verifying signatures.

By the numbers: Utah GOP chair Robert Axson said "well over" 200,000 signatures were collected after packets were submitted to county clerks across the state ahead of Sunday's deadline.

• As of Friday, the lieutenant governor's office had verified nearly 90,000 signatures, well short of the total required.

The big picture: The signature drive has been embroiled in controversy, from flagged signatures to allegations that some petitioners misled voters.

How it works: Sponsors must collect signatures from 8% of active voters statewide — roughly 141,000 — and meet minimum thresholds in at least 26 of the state's 29 Senate districts to qualify for the 2026 ballot.

Catch up quick: The petition comes in response to a 2025 ruling by Utah Judge Dianna Gibson in a years-long redistricting lawsuit.

• Gibson's decision adopted congressional boundaries proposed by anti-gerrymandering advocates instead of those drawn by Republican lawmakers.

Utah's redistricting fight began long before mid-decade efforts in California and Texas.

• In 2018, voters narrowly approved Proposition 4 to create an independent redistricting commission to avoid partisan gerrymandering.
• Yes, but: The Republican-controlled Utah Legislature approved its own maps in 2021 over those drafted by the commission, prompting a lawsuit from anti-gerrymandering advocates.

What they're saying: In a statement, Elizabeth Rasmussen, executive director of Better Boundaries, told Axios they are closely monitoring the GOP-led initiative.

• "Regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to upholding the will of the voters and will take every appropriate step to ensure their decision is honored," she said.

State of play: Rasmussen launched a signature removal effort earlier this month following multiple reports that some petition circulators had misinformed voters about the measure.

• Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman told KSL that the number of people requesting to have their names removed from the petition was unprecedented.
• "This is the first time in Salt Lake County that we've seen such a large demand," she said.
• Petition signers have 45 days from the date their signature was tallied to rescind their support.

What's next: County clerks have about three weeks to complete verifying signatures, and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson must issue a declaration before April 30 stating whether the petition qualified.