A judge this week ruled that the Utah Legislature must redraw the state's congressional map after finding the previous map did not comply with "mandatory redistricting standards and requirements," possibly forcing the creation of a seat that Democrats stand a chance of winning, according to CBS News.
District Court Judge Dianna M. Gibson ruled late Monday evening that Utah lawmakers failed to adhere to Proposition Four, a ballot measure passed in 2018 that established an independent redistricting commission, when they ignored that panel's recommendations while redrawing the state's congressional district map in 2021.
Utah, which voted for President Donald Trump by just over 59% in 2024, currently has four congressional seats, all of which are Republicans, as are both of the state's senators and the governor.
Gibson ruled that the current map "is the fruit of that unlawful repeal, an extension of the very constitutional violation that tainted the process from the start" and refuted the Republican-led legislature's argument that Proposition Four hampered the functioning of the government.
"How district lines are drawn can either safeguard representation and ensure accountability by elected representatives or erode public trust, silence voices and weaken the rule of law," she wrote, adding that this is "among the most critical responsibilities of our government."
Gibson gave legislators 30 days "to design and enact a remedial congressional map in conformity with Proposition 4's mandatory redistricting standards and requirements."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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