Dianna Gibson determined that the current map disregarded people's right to reform the government
US District Court judge Dianna Gibson has ordered the Utah legislature to redraw the congressional map outlining its boundaries after she determined that the current map is unlawful, reported the Associated Press.
The map must be redrawn in time for the midterm elections next year, before candidates begin to file in early January. The judge set a September 24 deadline for the lawmakers.
The current map, drawn in 2021, splits Salt Lake County among Utah’s four congressional districts. These districts have been dominated by the Republican party.
While the judge did not rule much on the map’s contents, she determined that state lawmakers had hampered and disregarded a voter-launched independent commission to limit partisan gerrymandering. Utah voters had in 2018 approved redistricting standards that were eventually repealed by lawmakers.
“The nature of the violation lies in the legislature’s refusal to respect the people’s exercise of their constitutional lawmaking power and to honor the people’s right to reform their government,” Gibson wrote in a snippet of the ruling published by AP News.
The judge also permitted the voting rights groups embroiled in the legal bout to present the court with alternate proposals. David Reymann, an attorney for the groups, said Gibson’s ruling demonstrated that “the legislature in this state is not king,” per a statement published by AP News.
The decision was also lauded by Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee leaders.
Per AP News, Republican officials are expected to appeal Gibson’s decision, which could delay the map redrawing until 2028. While Republican governor Spencer Cox voiced his disagreement with Gibson’s judgment, he indicated that he honored the Utah judiciary; by contrast, Utah’s GOP chairman Robert Axson described the decision as “judicial activism,” according to a statement published by AP News.
Senate president Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz, who lead the Republican Utah legislative, expressed their disappointment with the ruling in a joint statement.
