The BareStory
A Utah district judge on Monday rejected a congressional map drawn by the state's Republican-led legislature and implemented a new map that creates a Democratic-leaning district. The ruling by Judge Dianna Gibson consolidates most of Salt Lake County into a single district, whereas the previous map divided the county four ways. In her decision, the judge stated the legislature's map "unduly favors Republicans" and did not conform with a 2018 voter-approved measure establishing nonpartisan redistricting standards.
The decision drew opposing reactions. Utah Republican Party chair Robert Axson claimed the judge exceeded her constitutional authority, while DNC Chair Ken Martin praised the ruling as a move toward a fair map. The new map could affect Utah's all-Republican congressional delegation, as a Democrat has not held a U.S. House seat in the state since the current maps took effect.
The Utah case is part of a wider, mid-decade redistricting effort impacting several states. The push is reportedly linked to a Republican effort to expand the party’s majority in the U.S. House. In August, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law to create five new seats favorable to Republicans. Lawmakers in Missouri and North Carolina have also recently passed new maps that alter districts held by Democratic representatives.
In response, California voters approved a measure on Election Day that gives the state legislature temporary power to redraw its map, a move expected to create up to five new Democratic-leaning districts. The new maps in Texas, California, and Missouri are all facing legal challenges. One lawsuit filed by civil rights groups in Texas alleges racial bias in the state's new map. In Congress, a California representative has introduced legislation to ban mid-decade redistricting.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• New congressional maps in several states could alter which party represents your district in the U.S. House, as seen with Utah's new Democratic-leaning district.
• These redistricting efforts may shift the partisan balance in the U.S. House, potentially affecting which national laws and policies are passed by Congress.
• Ongoing legal challenges and a proposed federal ban on mid-decade redistricting could change the rules for how and when election maps are drawn nationwide.
