Utah lawmakers must redraw the state’s congressional maps after a trial judge held that a recent law that replaced a citizen initiative to reform the redistricting process and end partisan gerrymandering violates the state constitution.
The plaintiffs—a coalition of voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters of Utah—showed that the lawmakers unconstitutionally repealed the initiative with a law the wasn’t narrowly tailored to advance a compelling government interest, Judge Dianna M. Gibson said Monday for the Utah Third Judicial District Court.
At issue in the case is Proposition 4—a citizen initiative supported by voters in 2018—that sought to create the process for adopting new congressional redistricting maps.
In March 2020 the legislators enacted S.B. 200, which repealed Proposition 4 and replaced it with a new law. In 2021, the legislators enacted H.B. 2004, the current congressional map, which has been used in the 2022 and 2024 election cycles and was set to be used until the next federal census data is received, the court noted.
The groups have proven that the legislature unconstitutionally repealed Proposition 4, and enacted S.B. 200, the court said.
“Because Proposition 4 was not effectively repealed, it stands as the only valid law on redistricting,” Gibson said.
The groups are entitled to a permanent injunction, enjoining the use of the congressional maps created under H.B. 2004 in future elections, the court said.
The legislature must “design and enact a remedial congressional redistricting map in conformity with Proposition 4’s mandatory redistricting standards and requirements,” the court added.
The case is League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature, Utah Dist. Ct., No. 220901712, 8/25/25.
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