Utah Congressional Redistricting Challenge

A pro-voting lawsuit challenging the Utah Legislature’s proposed congressional maps and its repeal of an independent redistricting commission.

Background

The League of Women Voters of Utah, the Mormon Women for Ethical Government and individual voters, filed a lawsuit in Utah state court challenging the Legislature’s creation of a new congressional map and repeal of Proposition 4, a ballot initiative passed in 2018 that created an independent redistricting commission composed of citizens.

Plaintiffs assert that the Legislature’s new map constitutes a partisan gerrymander in violation of the Utah Constitution and that the repeal of Proposition 4 “violated the people’s constitutionally guaranteed lawmaking power and right to alter and reform their government.” Plaintiffs seek to block the use of the new congressional map and reinstate Proposition 4.

Why It Matters

Utah had the largest percentage population increase of any state between the 2010 and 2020 Censuses at 18.4%. The majority of this growth was in the Salt Lake City metro area. The proposed maps divide the metro area amongst the four districts, carving out pockets of urban voters and grouping them with large swaths of rural voters. Plaintiffs argue the proposed maps dilute the voting power of urban, and minority, voters to ensure all seats will be held by Republicans for the next decade.

Latest Updates

• Oct. 6, 2025: The GOP-led Utah legislature approved a new gerrymandered map and passed legislation revising Prop 4’s redistricting, and subsequent judicial review, standards. Plaintiffs then filed two alternative maps arguing the legislature’s map violates Prop 4 by splitting cities and favoring one party, and filed a supplemental complaint asserting that the new legislation violates the Utah Constitution by changing Prop 4 to require partisan gerrymandering in favor of the majority party. A judge must decide which map complies with the law by the Nov. 10 deadline.
• Sept. 21, 2025: The Utah Legislature proposed a new bill that would cement Republican congressional control in the state by imposing a narrower judicial standard of review for redistricting challenges. On Oct. 6, the Legislature will hold a special session to vote on both the new congressional map and the bill.
• Sept. 15, 2025: The Utah Supreme Court denied the Legislature’s petition to keep the 2021 gerrymandered congressional map in place for upcoming elections. Lawmakers must present a new map to the district court by Sept. 25.
• Sept. 6, 2025: The Utah Supreme Court agreed to hear Legislative defendants’ emergency request to pause the district court’s order to redraw the congressional map by Sept. 25.
• Sept. 5, 2025: The Legislature asked the Utah Supreme Court to pause the trial court’s order during the appeals process to allow elections to continue under the 2021 congressional map.
• Sept. 4, 2025: The district court will now require Legislative defendants to submit their new maps to the court by Sept. 25 and will allow public comment until Oct. 5.
• Sept. 2, 2025: The district court denied the Legislature’s request for a stay pending appeal. The Lt. Governor agreed to extend the deadline for a new map until Nov. 10.
• Aug. 29, 2025: The court is considering the Legislature’s request for a stay and looking into whether the court-mandated timeline can be extended to Nov. 9 to allow parties more time to redraw the maps.
• Aug. 27, 2025: The court denied defendants’ Sept. 2024 motion to dismiss three additional claims in plaintiffs’ first amended complaint.
• Aug. 25, 2025: The court ruled that the Legislature’s repeal of Proposition 4 was unconstitutional and the independent redistricting commission should remain intact. The Legislature must redraw the congressional maps in accordance with Proposition 4 by Sept. 24, 2025. 
• Jan. 31, 2025: The court heard plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment regarding the congressional map and Proposition 4.
• Sept. 25, 2024: The Utah Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s ruling on the ballot measure.
• Sept. 12, 2024: The court voided the ballot measure. The Legislature appealed to the Utah Supreme Court.
• Sept. 5, 2024: Plaintiffs filed a supplemental complaint and motion to block the Legislature from placing Amendment D on the ballot.
• July 11, 2023: The Utah Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s motion to dismiss.
• Jan 6., 2023: The Utah Supreme Court granted the parties’ petition for appeal on the motion to dismiss.
• Oct. 24, 2022: The court dismissed plaintiffs’ claim regarding the Legislature’s repeal of Proposition 4.
• Mar. 17, 2022: Plaintiffs filed their complaint. 

Last updated: August 26, 2025 10:06 am EST