Tensions are high in a Utah redistricting fight that didn't start with Trump

"Utah is getting closer to redrawing its congressional boundaries in an unusual mid-decade redistricting process, but it's not yet clear what that map will look like. In a heated committee meeting Wednesday, state lawmakers said they're considering a lot of options before deciding in October. Unlike other Republican-led states redistricting this year, Utah's new map is expected to give Democrats more of a chance at winning at least one of the state's four congressional districts,"

"State lawmakers were ordered to draw the new districts after a Utah judge ruled they had acted unconstitutionally in creating the map used in 2022. The Legislature's Republican supermajority has made it clear they are not happy they had to go back to the drawing board and are complying under protest. The map must be approved by lawmakers and the court by Nov. 10 to be used in the 2026 midterms, according to Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson's office."

"Utah's voided congressional map split the bluest area of the state, Salt Lake County, among the state's four districts, making four U.S. House seats safe for Republicans. That split was the biggest critique of the map, especially by county residents. All of the proposed new boundaries also divide the county, the most populous one in the state, but some only split it into two districts."

Utah is moving toward redrawing its congressional boundaries in an unusual mid-decade redistricting after a judge ruled the 2022 map unconstitutional. Lawmakers said they are considering many options and will decide by Oct. 6 from maps posted on the committee website, including six commissioned by lawmakers and citizen proposals. The Legislature's Republican supermajority has said it is complying under protest. The voided 2022 map split Salt Lake County across all four districts, making seats safe for Republicans; proposed new boundaries still divide the county, though some proposals split it into only two districts. The map must be approved by lawmakers and a judge by Nov. 10 to be used in 2026.

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