Fighting for Fair Maps: The Road Less Traveled
We’re down to the wire on redistricting, but is it ever over? The fight for democracy has gone on since the founding of the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln knew it:
"Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Our representatives should know that. On November 4, we will be back in district court to lay out our arguments against SB1011 - the Legislature's effort to undermine Proposition 4 with biased statistical tests. We believe they are not so much standards as they are rules to ensure partisanship, a direct impairment of Prop 4's prohibition on partisan favoritism. I have added the proposed Findings of Fact to our Redistricting Blog, if you want to read more.
Then by November 10, Judge Dianna Gibson will decide whether the legislature’s Map C (which they passed and then oddly are trying to pull back) was created with partisan data and violates Prop 4 for several reasons. The League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government have submitted two alternative maps.
But the chaos continues. Utahns for Representative Government, the GOP’s political issues committee, has already begun an effort to collect signatures to repeal Proposition 4 – the anti-gerrymandering law voters passed in 2018.
You heard that right – the legislature is bound and determined to end our fight for fair maps.
They must first conduct legally required hearings around the state. Interestingly, they have bypassed Salt Lake County for reasons you can imagine.
We just sent out an action alert asking you, your friends and colleagues, to attend these meetings, to listen, and perhaps to speak in favor of fairness.
There were seven scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3, and there will be another round on Nov. 10 – the same day Judge Gibson will issue her ruling. Those hearings may not have the same rules and are not required.
What can you do? As always, contact your representatives and tell them you want them to represent you, their constituents. You can contact your representatives from our useful Take Action page.
Our national league has been working hard for us. Here are a few things they have been doing:
Statements/Messaging
Congress Updates
The House continued its “in-district work period.” Representatives have been on recess for 35 days. They will also not return next week to the Capitol. The Speaker of the House also refuses to swear in Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva.
The Senate was in session this week. Senators were unable to overcome filibusters to vote on the bill to open the government. A bill that would have paid essential federal workers (those on the job but not getting paid) and members of the military was introduced but unable to overcome a filibuster. Next week, senators will return with expected votes on nominations, the CR to fund the government, and maybe other bills.
Administration Updates
The President welcomed the LSU and LSU Shreveport Baseball champions, demolished the East Wing of the White House, issued sanctions on Russian oil companies, ended trade negotiations with Canada, and continued to ramp up military escalations in Latin America.
Vice President Vance was in the Middle East to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The EAC closed its comment collection on a petition that seeks to initiate a rulemaking process to add documentary proof of citizenship to the federal voter registration form. Read LWVUS comments. Thank you to the state and local Leagues submitting comments and promoting the action alert. If you have not sent final copies of organizational comment, you can still send them to advocacy@lwv.org
IRS statement on operations limited during the lapse in appropriations; regular tax deadlines remain
Litigation
LWVIN filed a federal lawsuit over the state’s new documentary proof of citizenship law. See press release.
LWVC filed a motion to intervene in a federal case to protect Californians’ personal voter data from use by the federal government. See press release.