Map 1 in Place for 2026
On Nov. 20, the League of Women Voters of Utah was honored at the Salt Lake Tribune’s Newsmakers event. While we and our co-plaintiffs Mormon Women for Ethical Government have been celebrating win after win after win, the legislature Is continuing its quixotic attempts to undermine the will of the voters.
They have already deployed outside signature gatherers who will attempt to overturn Proposition 4. Better Boundaries has discovered several instances of deceptive practices, and financial disclosures with Utah’s Lt. Governor office found that $1,087,500 was donated from a dark money organization named “Securing American Greatness, Inc.” to Utahns for Representative Government, which is connected to the Utah GOP (see Utah Political Watch).
All this is to persuade the voters to work against their own interests. It is our mission to give them good information and show them that gerrymandering is a dead issue and every voice matters.
That is why we are running the Decline to Sign campaign. The voters have spoken and we should not be revisiting the election simply because the legislature didn’t like the outcome.
After the hearing on Wednesday, there was another round of briefing, which is attached. It includes:
A brief from the Lieutenant Governor presenting options for how the various technical map "issues" can be addressed.
A brief in response from us advocating that no changes need to be made to address 7 of the 8 issues raised. With regard to one issue, Dr. Oskooii made a minor adjustment to the map that moved 110 people in four census blocks in Midvale and Sandy, and we have provided the judge with the data to order that minor adjustment to the map if she chooses to.
These minor map issues and adjustments are truly not significant and are a standard part of implementing a new map. Both the 2021 map and Map C have far more of these type of issues.
The Legislature does not plan on any emergency appeal. That means the appeal will proceed on the normal (slower) schedule and will not be resolved on a timeline that could affect the 2026 election.
The current state of affairs—Map 1 will be used—is good. The Legislature not seeking an emergency appeal means they can complain for longer about how unfair everything is, but the practical effect is positive and a win. And presumably they did not seek an emergency appeal because they thought they would lose.
