The Legislature’s map, Judge Gibson wrote, “fails in many ways to comply with Proposition 4,” a 2018 voter-approved law establishing an independent redistricting process and neutral map-drawing criteria.
Utah News Dispatch 11-11-2025
The claim that it’s unconstitutional for a judge to choose a legislative map ignores the core issue: the legislature’s map violated Utah’s constitutional protections against partisan gerrymandering. In 2018, Utah voters passed Proposition 4, which set clear standards to prevent partisan manipulation of district lines. When lawmakers disregard those standards, the judiciary has a constitutional duty to intervene and ensure the law is upheld. Judicial oversight is not only legal but essential for protecting the integrity of our democracy. The real question is not whether a judge can act, but whether the legislature will follow the law passed by the people.
