Utah Judge Denies Legislature Delay Redistricting Order, Sets November Deadline

Utah's Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson has firmly denied the Utah Legislature's attempts to delay or pause the redrawing of the state's congressional district maps following her ruling that the current 2021 map is unconstitutional for overriding the voter-approved Better Boundaries initiative (Proposition 4). Judge Gibson emphasized that the Legislature's repeal of the independent redistricting commission and adoption of partisan maps violated citizens' constitutional rights and ordered the new maps be drawn by September 24, with a public hearing set for late October to ensure compliance with anti-gerrymandering standards. Despite the Legislature's claims that the timeline was too compressed to fulfill their constitutional duties, Gibson cited examples from other states like Texas and California where tighter deadlines were met, underscoring that Utah could distinguish itself by protecting voters' rights. The ruling comes amid a national context where redistricting battles are intensifying, partly driven by President Donald Trump's push for mid-decade map redraws to benefit Republicans in the 2026 midterms. The court's decision also enables the appeal process to proceed but maintains that election deadlines can be adjusted without jeopardizing the 2026 election schedule. Utah's political landscape may shift as a result, with the current maps heavily favoring Republicans and the court-mandated process aiming to restore fair representation reflecting voter intent.