Utah Judge Orders Congressional Map Redraw [WATCH]

A state court judge ordered Utah lawmakers on Monday to redraw the state’s congressional districts in time for next year’s midterm elections, ruling that the maps approved by the legislature were unlawfully gerrymandered to benefit Republicans.

In a 76-page order, Judge Dianna Gibson directed the legislature to pass a “remedial congressional map” by the end of September.

The decision sets a firm deadline while appeals proceed. Legislative leaders have already signaled they will challenge the ruling, a step that could send the case to the Utah Supreme Court and, potentially, the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Gibson’s order follows years of litigation over how Utah’s congressional lines were drawn after the 2020 census.

The dispute traces to 2018, when voters approved Proposition 4, known as the “Better Boundaries” initiative.

The measure created an independent redistricting commission and set standards intended to curb partisan influence in line-drawing.

Two years later, state lawmakers enacted legislation that reduced the commission’s role to advisory. During the subsequent redistricting cycle, the legislature bypassed the commission and adopted its own maps.

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Voting-rights groups—including the League of Women Voters of Utah and the Mormon Women for Ethical Government—sued, alleging the plan illegally diluted urban voters’ influence by splitting Salt Lake City into four separate districts and violating standards envisioned by Proposition 4.

Gibson concluded the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their claims and said a new plan must be prepared for the upcoming election cycle while the courts resolve the broader constitutional questions.

Her order leaves the door open for appellate review but underscores that, absent a stay, new maps must be in place by the court’s deadline.

The ruling drew immediate attention from Utah’s political leaders.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, warned ahead of the decision that “almost anything promoted as an ‘independent commission’ is often a strategy to give Democrats an edge they can’t win through fair elections.”

In a lengthy X post, Lee added: “We the people need to halt this trend. To do so, we must first grasp what these independent commissions truly represent.” He continued, “In a state like Utah, they’re essentially a mechanism for the left to grab power they can’t get through democratic elections.”

If you live in a Republican-led state—one with a GOP governor and legislature—keep this in mind: Almost anything promoted as an “independent commission” is often a strategy to give Democrats an edge they can’t win through fair elections. This is especially true for legislative… https://t.co/WeRXX6TeDw

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 25, 2025

Utah’s court fight comes as redistricting debates intensify nationwide.

In Texas, the legislature passed new congressional maps this month that give Republicans an advantage in the upcoming midterms.

President Donald Trump encouraged the move and celebrated it as a “BIG WIN,” while Democratic lawmakers in the state temporarily left Texas in protest over the map.

Developments in California added to the national spotlight.

Gov. Gavin Newsom advanced a plan to suspend the state’s map—previously drawn by an independent commission—and to pass a new version in a special election this year, a move he said would offset Republican gains in Texas.

At a press conference, Newsom said Democrats need to “play hardball” to compete with a Republican Party led by Trump.

In response, Trump vowed on Monday to sue Newsom over the proposed map.

The Utah case focuses on whether the legislature’s 2021 plan improperly fractured the Salt Lake City area and whether voters’ approval of Proposition 4 affords enforceable protections against partisan gerrymandering.

Plaintiffs argue the legislature’s map undermines the ability of communities in and around Salt Lake City to elect candidates of their choice and runs contrary to the intent of the 2018 initiative.

State officials counter that the legislature holds constitutional authority over redistricting and that the map reflects legitimate policy choices and traditional districting principles.

With the court’s deadline now in place, lawmakers face a compressed timetable.

If the legislature enacts a new plan by late September, it would govern the next election cycle unless blocked by an appellate court.

If no plan is passed, the court could impose a remedial map to ensure districts are finalized before candidate filing periods and election administration deadlines.

As appeals move forward, Utah joins a growing list of states where courts, legislatures, and voters are testing the limits of partisan mapmaking and the roles of independent commissions.

The outcome in Utah—along with the parallel actions in Texas and California—will shape the congressional battlefield heading into the next round of midterm elections and determine how hundreds of thousands of Utah voters are grouped into districts for years to come.