Federal court to decide Utah redistricting fight

A new federal lawsuit is challenging a Utah state judge’s decision to impose a new congressional redistricting map that was neither voted on nor approved by the Utah Legislature.

The dispute stems from a ruling issued late last year by Utah state court Judge Dianne Gibson, who found Senate Bill 200 – a law governing new election procedures – to be invalid. As part of that decision, the judge also concluded that Utah’s congressional maps, which were drawn under those procedures following the 2020 census, could not stand.

Gibson gave the Legislature and private plaintiffs 30 days to submit proposed replacement maps. In August, she rejected the Legislature’s proposal and ordered that future elections proceed under “Map 1,” a redistricting plan that had not been adopted by either chamber of the Utah Legislature. Instead, Map 1 was developed by attorneys and expert witnesses representing private activist organizations.

The map gives Democrats a significantly improved opportunity to win a congressional seat in Utah, a state that has not elected a Democrat to Congress since early 2021.

In response, a group of Utah elected officials, members of Congress, and voters filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, arguing that the state court exceeded its authority by imposing a congressional map not authorized by Utah law. 

The plaintiffs allege that Gibson violated the federal and state constitutions by imposing a new map without the Legislature’s approval. 

The U.S. Constitution assigns responsibility for regulating the “Times, Places and Manner” of congressional elections – including the drawing of congressional districts – to the “Legislature” of each state. The Utah Constitution likewise states that the “Legislature shall divide the state into congressional, legislative, and other districts.”

The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent Utah’s lieutenant governor from using Map 1 in the 2026 midterm elections.

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Feb. 18 in federal court in Salt Lake City. The case will be heard by a three-judge panel.