A holiday letter.
As we dive into the holidays, I hope you all can take a deep breath, feel the peace of the moment, and be assured that the citizens we represent have been winning their fight for democracy.
While our lawsuit - League of Women Voters of Utah v Utah State Legislature - continues, we find that we are working against misinformation and recalcitrance from our lawmakers. It was stunning that the governor called a special session just to deal with us and fair maps while other issues plague the state – the shrinking Great Salt Lake, homelessness, food insecurity.
You will continue to hear false information about our case, and while I know it is sometimes hard to process, just keep in mind that the legislature could have avoided all of this long ago. All they had to do was comply with Proposition 4 while drawing the new maps. They did not.
We are not denying the legislature its constitutional right to draw district lines. We never have, and that is the main message I want you to take away.
Please do take a few minutes to skim through the recent filings in our Redistricting Blog. I have also added some Talking Points for you, should citizens ask about the case.
If you or someone you know has been approached by a signature gatherer, be sure to tell them this initiative (Utah Eliminate the Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative (2026) would repeal Prop 4. Some of the signature gatherers have misled voters into thinking it would protect fair maps. We can now send voters to a website where they will find a form to remove their signatures easily ProtectUtahVoters.com. And if you or anyone has concerns, been misled, or harassed, they can fill out this Report Signature Gathering.
And now, on to 2026. Not only will we be voting under new fair maps, but we will be back at the Capitol advocating for out voters and democracy. Be sure to join our Legislative Preview on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. when a panel of experts will highlight our legislative priorities.
Finally, here are some national League notes, including a link to all of the lawsuitsLWV has filed.
Statements/Messaging
Administration Updates
In response to a comment period initiated by the Social Security Administration (SSA), Leagues urged SSA to reject a proposal to modify its routines to share SSA data with DHS and its SAVE system.
Following the shooting of National Guard members in DC at the end of November, the Administration indefinitely halted all asylum applications, threatened to end immigration from what it called “third-world countries,” and more. LWVUS joined a letter to the President urging the Administration to reverse course on its anti-humanitarian and anti-immigration policies.
Congress Updates
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire on December 31. The expiration of these subsidies is expected to result in higher ACA Marketplace plan premiums for millions, and 4-5 million people becoming uninsured in 2026. At the start of the week, LWVUS joined a letter to congressional leadership urging a clean extension of the ACA enhanced subsidies. On Thursday, the Senate filibustered two bills on the issue of health care affordability: one led by Democrats, and one led by Republicans. The day before the votes, LWVUS sent a memo to the entire Senate urging them to put aside bipartisan politics and ensure health care affordability in the new year. After the votes, LWVUS sent an accountability memo to the entire Senate, urging them to make a good faith effort to pass healthcare affordability legislation.
The House Administration Committee's subcommittee on elections held a hearing on Wednesday, titled "potential updates to the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)"; and LWVUS testified that in any efforts to potentially update the NVRA, it is crucial that the law retains its power to protect voters and facilitate voter registration.
Please continue to contact your senators and tell them that the SAVE Act would harm all voters. Also, tell Congress to oppose their continued federal interference in DC.
2026-2028 LWVUS Program Planning process
The LWVUS program planning process will begin at the start of 2026.
A Leaders Guide was shared in the Dec. 11 League Update and is now available on the League Management Site.
Find upcoming Program Planning webinars and review all ProgramPlanning resources on the League Management Site.