What’s Next for Utah Voters?

After two days of intense and technical courtroom drama, the state GOP suddenly withdrew its petition for an “indirect initiative.” Their plan was two-fold. 1- to run a referendum to eliminate Map C, which they had just adopted, and 2- to file an unconstitutional indirect initiative seeking to repeal Proposition 4, the fair-maps law voters passed in 2018.

Now, recognizing that it would not succeed, they have withdrawn the fast-track indirect initiative and will attempt a new citizens initiative, run by the ironically named Utahns for Representative Government. The sponsors of the direct initiative include: Utah Republican Party Chair Robert Axson, U.S. Senator Mike Lee, Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, Former U.S. Congressman Rob Bishop, Republican National Committeeman Brad Bonham, Leeds Mayor Bill Hoster, Beaver County Commissioner Tammy Pearson, Utah County Republican Party Chair Cristy Henshaw, and other Republican volunteers.

Do not be fooled. This is another blatant attempt to keep power in the hands of politicians and give license to the Legislature for extreme gerrymanders. The Utah Constitution gives the people and the legislature co-equal rights to make laws. Prop 4 does not obstruct the legislature from its role in redististricting. It simply requires that all maps must be fairly drawn. And this new initiative effort is an attempt to take away those guardrails. 

Beware of this Potemkin village and continue to Decline to Sign this initiative.