CASE SUMMARY

On March 16, 2022, a coalition of voting rights organizations and Utah voters filed a state lawsuit against the Utah State Legislature, the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee, the state’s Lieutenant Governor, and several state legislators challenging the state’s enacted congressional redistricting plan as a partisan gerrymander in violation of the Utah Constitution’s Free Elections, Equal Protection, Free Speech and Association, and Voter Qualification Clauses. They also allege the state legislature violated the Utah Constitution’s citizen lawmaking authority by repealing the redistricting reforms enacted via ballot initiative “Proposition 4,” which included the transfer of redistricting authority to an independent commission and mandatory anti-gerrymandering provisions. They sought a judicial declaration the enacted plan and legislature’s repeal violated the Utah Constitution, an injunction barring the plan from use in future elections and barring enforcement of the act which repealed the reforms, and for the court to require a new, lawful plan be enacted or adopted.

  • On October 24, 2022, the trial court granted dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims involving the repealed redistricting reforms but refused to dismiss the partisan gerrymandering claims.
  • On November 14, 2022, the State filed a petition with the Utah Supreme Court requesting a direct appeal of the trial court’s decision on their motion to dismiss, which the Court granted.
  • Oral arguments were held before the Utah Supreme Court on July 11, 2023.
  • One year later, on July 11, 2024, the Utah Supreme Court reversed the district court's dismissal of Count V of the original complaint, but retained jurisdiction over Counts I, II, III, and IV. The case will return to the district court for it to reconsider its decision as to Count V.

CASE LIBRARY

Utah District Court, Salt Lake County - No. 220901712

Supreme Court of the State of Utah - No. 20220991-SC

Utah District Court, Salt Lake County - No. 220901712 (Remand as to Count V)

Supreme Court of the State of Utah - No. 20240965-SC