Redistricting maps spark debate against Utahns
Utah lawmakers approved a new set of congressional maps on Oct. 6 after a state judge ruled the old ones unconstitutional. The changes, which reshape political boundaries across the state, have reignited debate over fairness, gerrymandering and whether Utah’s political districts reflect their communities.The new maps come after years of legal battles over Proposition 4, a 2018 voter-approved law aimed at reducing political gerrymandering. Some say the new map meets those rules, while others argue it still favors one party.
Redistricting is about redrawing the boundaries that decide which areas of the state belong to each congressional district and who represents those communities in Washington D.C.
“Essentially, in 2018, they created a law that made it so political gerrymandering wouldn’t be possible,” said Emma Miller, a senior studying law and constitutional studies at Utah State University.
“They deemed that the current districts we have didn’t follow that, making it unconstitutional by the Utah Constitution, and so, the judge said that we needed to redraw all of our districts.”
Miller said the latest map was drawn under a tight deadline, needing completion by Nov. 10 following the court’s decision, with lawmakers tasked with meeting fairness standards while keeping communities together.
Lawmakers chose map C, one of several options. Supporters say it preserves more communities and follows population balance rules. Critics argue it still gives Republicans an advantage. Map C divides Salt Lake City across several districts but is slightly more competitive than Utah’s previous map.
“It is really difficult to be able to create districts in Utah that fully represent everything. One of the issues that I know they were running into is trying to make it so that each district included parts that were rural and also parts that were more urban,” Miller said.
Miller also noted party registration in Utah can make it hard to know who leans Democratic or Republican.
“Most of the students I’ve talked to who are Democrats actually are registered Republicans because by registering as a Republican, you can have a say in the primaries,” Miller said.
Michael Lyons, an emeritus professor of political science at USU, added perspective on the overall map.
“It’s still a gerrymander,” Lyons said. “But it’s a less blatant one, and it’s also a more competitive map than before.”
Lyons also mentioned the map still has many requirements to meet, including whether it complies with Proposition 4 standards
“If lawmakers don’t comply with the intentions of that initiative, the courts could end up drawing their own maps,” Lyons said.
For students, the issue goes beyond party lines. Miller said even if boundaries in northern Utah haven’t shifted dramatically, understanding how representation works is still important.
“Our district isn’t one of the most affected compared to others,” Miller said. “But this is a good time to start learning about how these changes could influence the state and to follow credible, nonpartisan sources.”
Both Lyons and Miller noted redistricting can shape not only who represents Utah but also voter engagement. They said for many young voters, the new maps are an opportunity to pay closer attention to how political decisions are made at the state level.
“Even if it feels far removed, this kind of thing shapes how we’re represented,” Miller said. “It’s worth paying attention to, especially for students who are just starting to vote and get involved.”
The new congressional map still requires judicial review. However, how the lines are drawn could affect Utah politics for years — deciding who represents communities and how voters are represented. Lyons and Miller agreed this shows even small changes on a map can have a big impact on the state’s democracy.