SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A significant decision was made on Monday when a Utah judge rejected a new congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, instead adopting an alternate proposal that creates a Democrat-leaning district in preparation for the 2026 midterm elections.
Republicans currently hold all four of Utah’s U.S. House seats and had designed a map intending to secure their dominance. Judge Dianna Gibson ruled shortly before the midnight deadline that the proposed map unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats. She mandated that lawmakers produce a map that adheres to anti-gerrymandering standards established by voters.
The judge ultimately chose a map crafted by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, which maintains Salt Lake County largely within a single district rather than dividing it among multiple districts, a strategy that had diluted the Democratic vote in the past.
This ruling presents a challenge for Republicans in a state where they anticipated a clean sweep, particularly as they seek to add competitive seats elsewhere. Nationally, Democrats need to gain three U.S. House seats to take control of the chamber from the GOP, which is attempting to defy the historical trend of the president’s party losing seats in midterm elections.
The newly adopted map greatly enhances the Democrats' chances to flip a seat in a state that has not been represented by a Democrat in Congress since early 2021. In a unified statement, Democrats from both the House and Senate hailed this decision as a victory for fair representation in Utah.
Judge Gibson’s earlier decision in August had already struck down the previous congressional map, citing violations of anti-gerrymandering standards due to an attempt by the Legislature to sidestep these rules.
The ruling places Utah at the center of a national redistricting struggle, with implications as significant as those seen in other states. Meanwhile, some Republican-led states are considering mid-decade redistricting efforts that aim to preserve their influence in the upcoming elections.
As redistricting traditionally occurs only once per decade, the Utah ruling signals an unexpected gain for Democrats, presenting them with new opportunities in the electoral landscape.
Republicans have voiced strong criticism of the ruling, with some lawmakers arguing that the judge overstepped her authority. The coming months are likely to see continued disputes over the legitimacy and legality of electoral maps across the country, especially as deadlines for candidate filings approach.
