Utah Ordered to Redraw Congressional Map by September 24

A judge has ordered the Utah legislature to redraw the state's congressional boundaries by September 24. The ruling came after a lawsuit accusing the legislature of illegally gerrymandering congressional districts to benefit Republicans was filed.

Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson sided with the League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government and others who challenged the legislature's override of Proposition 4, a citizen ballot initiative that created an independent redistricting commission to draw maps for Congress, legislature and state school board.

"Here, there is no question that Proposition 4 is overwhelmingly substantive legislation to reform and establish a statutory redistricting process," Judge Gibson wrote.

On the steps of the Matheson Courthouse on Monday night, plaintiffs in the lawsuit cheered and hugged. "We feel vindicated," Malcolm Reid, a plaintiff in the lawsuit with his wife, Victoria, told the Scripps News Group in Salt Lake City. "We feel the court has respected and understood the state constitution and sent a very effective message to the legislature that the initiative process is something that needs to be respected and heeded and is the law of the land."

Victoria Reid called it an "incredible win for the voters of Utah."

Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told the Scripps News Group: "While disappointed by the court’s decision, we remain committed to protecting the voices of Utahns and upholding the Legislature’s state and federal constitutional authority to draw congressional districts. We will carefully review the ruling and consider our next steps."

The lawsuit centers around claims made by the League and MWEG that lawmakers improperly overrode the voter-approved Proposition 4, which created an independent redistricting commission.

"Today’s decision is not a surprise after the Supreme Court’s ruling last summer. While I respect the role of the courts in our system, I continue to disagree with that decision," Governor Spencer Cox said in a statement late Monday.

Katharine Biele, the president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, said: "I know there's other things coming and we have a lot of work to do still, but this is a good win for the voters of Utah and I think the legislature has to realize that. We want to work with them. We're ready to work with them hand-in-hand. They just have to settle down and do it."