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A Utah judge late Monday night struck down a congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers and approved a new one that creates the state’s first Democratic-leaning district in more than a decade, dealing a sharp blow to the GOP’s redistricting strategy ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Utah District Court Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that the Republican-drawn map violated state anti-gerrymandering rules by using political data to favor the GOP. She instead adopted a map proposed by plaintiffs — including the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government — that carves out a solidly Democratic district in northern Salt Lake County.
According to court filings, the court-approved district is roughly 43% Republican, making it the only competitive seat in an otherwise heavily red state. Utah’s current map divides the populous Salt Lake County into four GOP-dominated districts, effectively diluting Democratic voting strength.
“This ruling restores fairness to Utah’s elections and ensures that voters — not politicians — choose their representatives,” the League of Women Voters said in a statement early Tuesday.
Republican lawmakers had drawn a map that would have preserved the state’s all-Republican congressional delegation while making two districts slightly more competitive. Judge Gibson rejected that plan, finding that it violated the 2018 anti-gerrymandering initiative passed by Utah voters.
That initiative established an independent redistricting commission and enshrined anti-gerrymandering standards into state law. The Republican-controlled Legislature later weakened the commission’s authority and ignored its recommended map after the 2020 census.
The ruling, which came hours before state election officials were set to begin preparing for the 2026 primary elections, could reshape Utah’s political landscape — and influence ongoing redistricting fights across the country.
Republicans have vowed to appeal and to launch a new ballot initiative aimed at overturning the 2018 anti-gerrymandering law.
Utah joins Ohio in being required to redraw congressional lines this year. The decision also comes amid a broader national redistricting battle, with GOP-led states such as Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina enacting maps designed to secure their slim House majority at President Donald Trump’s urging.
Democrats, meanwhile, have countered with their own efforts. Voters in California last week approved a map expected to net Democrats as many as five additional U.S. House seats, while Virginia Democrats recently took steps toward a mid-decade redraw of their own.
