Utah Lawmakers Approve New Congressional Map, Potential for Democratic Gains Remains Slim
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah lawmakers on Monday approved a new congressional map following a court order to redraw districts, a move that could offer Democrats a marginal chance to compete in a traditionally Republican state. The map, passed during a special session, is now under review by Judge Diane Gibson, who previously struck down the state’s prior map for violating the Utah Constitution.
The revised map comes after public comment favored a different proposal,but Republicans ultimately chose what they described as the least competitive option. State Sen. Scott Sandall, a co-chair of the Legislature’s redistricting committee, expressed confidence the judge will uphold the new map, stating, “there are a lot of things they would have done differently if not for the time crunch,” but he believes she “will have no reason to reject the map.”
Democrats voiced concerns about the process, with State Sen. Nate blouin suggesting the outcome was predetermined. He was rebuked by Republican leaders on the Senate floor for implying the map chosen was specifically designed to favor their party.Sen. Sandall insisted the committee did not consider political data. A small number of Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the map.
Alongside the map approval, lawmakers amended Proposition 4, a 2018 voter-approved ballot initiative related to redistricting, to require new districts to reflect Utah’s overall partisan voting patterns. This amendment was quickly challenged by voting rights groups who argue lawmakers are attempting to “change the rules of the game,” prompting a motion in the ongoing legal case.
Redistricting expert Jonathan Cervas of Carnegie Mellon University analyzed the new map and found Democrats would likely lose every election under its configuration, characterizing it as uncompetitive, though an improvement over the previous map.The prior map, struck down by Judge Gibson, considerably divided Salt Lake County, a Democratic stronghold, and led to Republican dominance in districts that were previously competitive.
Despite the challenges, redistricting analyst Jason Fierman believes a Democratic victory isn’t unachievable. “An extremely strong candidate in a blue wave year might be able to possibly break this cycle,” he said, suggesting former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams as a potential candidate.
Judge Gibson will now review the approved map and consider alternative proposals from voting rights groups. If she rejects the map, a legal battle could ensue over the court’s authority to create its own redistricting plan.