Nov. 11 (UPI) — A Utah judge chose a redistricting map that plaintiffs in a lawsuit submitted instead of the Republican legislature-drawn map, delivering a blow to the state’s GOP ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
The legislature had created a map that heavily favored Republicans in the state, who have about a 2-1 majority, making it nearly impossible for a Democrat to get elected to the House of Representatives. But plaintiffs from the League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, the Campaign Legal Center and some Salt Lake County voters filed a lawsuit alleging that the map was illegal because of Proposition 4, a law that was chosen by Utah voters in 2018 to prevent gerrymandering.
Third District Judge Dianna Gibson reviewed potential maps submitted by the plaintiffs and the legislature. She chose the plaintiffs’ map just minutes before a deadline. The Republican legislature submitted map C, while the plaintiffs submitted map 1.
Gibson said she chose map 1 because map C “fails in many ways to comply with Proposition 4,” she wrote in her decision.
“In sum, the record overwhelmingly supports the Court’s conclusion that Map C exhibits substantial pro-Republican bias,” she said.
The order came in at around 11:40 p.m. MST Monday, Utah News Dispatch reported, just minutes before the midnight deadline that the state’s election officials gave to set a congressional map. The deadline was for county clerks to have enough time to get ready for January candidate filings.
The new map gives Democrats a chance to take one seat in the House next year. Right now, House Republicans represent all of Utah. The last Democrat, Ben McAdams, lost his seat in 2021.
Utah House and Senate Democrats made a statement after midnight, saying the ruling brought “a deep sense of hope and relief.”
“This is a win for every Utahn,” Utah News Dispatch reported the statement said. “We took an oath to serve the people of Utah, and fair representation is the truest measure of that promise.”
Utahns for Representative Government are working to try to repeal Proposition 4, holding meetings to gather signatures for another ballot initiative, though it wouldn’t affect next year’s midterm elections. If they succeed, it will be on the ballot next November. The organization was formed specifically to return redistricting to the legislature, its website says.
To get on the ballot, it will need to collect at least 140,748 valid signatures from registered voters in Utah. It also must get certain minimum signatures in 26 of 29 Senate districts.
Utah Republican leaders have said they plan to pursue the repeal and appeal the judge’s decision. Some have also said they would pursue impeachment of Gibson.
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