Utah GOP-backed Congressional Map Advances Amid Court-ordered Redistricting

Utah's Legislative Redistricting Committee voted to approve Map C as the new congressional district map, which is designed to comply with a court ruling that invalidated the 2021 map for unconstitutional gerrymandering and violating Proposition 4, a voter-approved measure to create fairer redistricting. Map C splits Salt Lake County once instead of four times as before, mixes urban and rural areas, and aims to maintain Republican advantage while offering slightly more competitiveness for Democrats, though the state remains heavily GOP-leaning. Despite Democratic opposition citing concerns of partisan bias and the map being the "least representative" option, Utah GOP lawmakers defend the map as respecting rural interests and legal requirements for equal population and communities of interest. The map now proceeds to a full vote in the Republican-controlled Legislature and must be approved by Gov. Spencer Cox and the 3rd District Court Judge Dianna Gibson. The process followed a public comment period and intense debate over how to balance fair representation with the state's political realities, with Republicans emphasizing compliance with the court order and Democrats warning against political manipulation. The redistricting efforts reflect ongoing tensions between legal mandates for fair boundaries and partisan interests in Utah's deeply red political landscape.