Utah’s Redistricting Battle: A High-Stakes Struggle That Began Long Before Trump

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah is advancing toward revising its congressional district lines through an uncommon mid-decade redistricting effort, though the final configuration remains uncertain. During a contentious committee session on Wednesday, legislators emphasized they are exploring multiple alternatives before finalizing a plan in October.

In contrast to other Republican-controlled states undertaking redistricting this year, Utah’s forthcoming map is anticipated to enhance Democratic competitiveness in at least one of the state’s four congressional districts, potentially influencing the balance of power in the U.S. House. This redistricting initiative follows a judicial ruling that deemed the 2022 map unconstitutional.

Republican Resistance Amid Compliance

The state’s Republican supermajority has expressed clear dissatisfaction with the mandate to redraw district lines, complying reluctantly. According to Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s office, the Legislature must approve the new map and secure court validation by November 10 to implement it for the 2026 midterm elections.

The invalidated congressional map controversially fragmented Salt Lake County-the state’s most Democratic-leaning area-across all four districts, effectively securing Republican dominance in each seat. This division drew significant criticism, particularly from county residents.

While all proposed new district plans continue to split Salt Lake County, some limit the division to just two districts, offering a somewhat less fragmented approach.

Rather than endorsing a single proposal, the redistricting committee announced it will solicit public feedback on any maps posted on its official website. This includes six legislatively commissioned maps alongside citizen-submitted alternatives.

Lawmakers plan to select one final map from these options on October 6, which will then be submitted to the court for approval.

Context Within the National Redistricting Landscape

Although Utah’s redistricting stems from a local court decision, it unfolds amid a nationwide push to redraw districts ahead of the 2026 elections, a movement largely spurred by former President Trump.

Typically, states redraw districts early in the decade following the census. However, concerned about potential midterm losses and aiming to maintain Republican control of the House, Trump has encouraged GOP-led states to undertake early redistricting efforts to bolster their party’s chances.

For example, Texas recently adopted a new map projected to gain Republicans five additional seats. In response, California Democrats are campaigning for voter approval of a new map designed to secure five more seats for their party in the November 4 election. Similarly, Missouri’s Republican legislature has enacted a map that could unseat a Democratic incumbent.

Republican leaders in states like Indiana and Florida have also pledged to follow Trump’s directive, emphasizing that retaining the House majority is crucial to advancing their agenda and preventing investigations that a Democratic-controlled House might initiate.

The Legal Challenge and Its Aftermath

In 2018, Utah voters narrowly passed Proposition 4, a ballot measure that established an independent redistricting commission and banned partisan gerrymandering. However, in 2020, the Legislature repealed and replaced this initiative with legislation that diminished the commission’s authority and removed the anti-gerrymandering provision.

In 2022, the League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and several individual voters filed a lawsuit against the Legislature. They argued that the Legislature violated citizens’ rights to reform their government and that the 2021 congressional map was drawn to unfairly favor Republicans.

In August 2025, a judge ruled the Legislature’s override of Proposition 4 unconstitutional, invalidating the 2021 congressional map as a result. Consequently, the Legislature must now redraw district boundaries in compliance with the reinstated Proposition 4.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers are advancing a bill to establish a uniform method for assessing “partisan symmetry” in congressional maps to evaluate fairness. However, Democrats on the committee contend that this test is ineffective in states like Utah, where one party consistently dominates statewide elections.

Elizabeth Rasmussen, executive director of Better Boundaries-the organization that supported Proposition 4-expressed concern that the proposed test could be exploited to engineer a preferred map.

If the lawsuit plaintiffs find the Legislature’s new map unsatisfactory, they may submit their own proposal to the court. Should this occur, additional hearings will be held in late October to determine the final map to be implemented.