Utah's anti-gerrymandering law survives GOP's repeal push
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Utahns won't vote on a measure that would effectively legalize gerrymandering, now that thousands of people have removed their signatures from the petition to include it in November's election.
Why it matters: That ballot measure was the most direct way for the GOP to undo Utah's new congressional map, which created a Democratic-leaning district.
Catch up quick: The new map was selected by a judge following a court order to comply with Prop 4, a ban on gerrymandering voters passed in 2018 — which the failed referendum sought to repeal.
State of play: To be placed on a statewide ballot, a proposal must meet specific signature thresholds in 26 of Utah's 29 Senate districts.
- Signature counts had already missed the thresholds in three districts when county clerks certified the petitions earlier this month.
- State law gives voters 45 days to remove their signatures.
Driving the news: After a campaign by anti-gerrymandering groups to persuade signers to remove their names, a fourth district fell below the signature threshold, killing the proposal.
- District 15, which spans parts of Cottonwood Heights, Midvale and Sandy, was 258 signatures short as of Thursday.
The intrigue: That district is represented by a Democrat — and is within the newly created District 1, which is expected to lean blue.
Yes, but: Repealing Prop 4 isn't Republicans' only strategy to redistrict the state.
Case in point: The GOP-dominated Legislature has made judicial reforms that could mean different judges would review any new legal challenges involving Prop 4 or the congressional map.
- After a state Supreme Court ruling paved the way to the new map, the Legislature this year expanded the court by two justices. They'll be nominated by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox.
- Lawmakers also created alternate three-judge panels to decide lawsuits over the constitutionality of state statutes rather than using the state's regular district judges.
Meanwhile, three federal judges last month refused to block the new map as requested in a lawsuit by GOP Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens along with other elected officials and voters.