The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 19, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Utah voters passed the Better Boundaries Proposition 4 in 2018, setting standards for competitive, nonpartisan redistricting. Utah’s legislature, in an effort to retain partisan power, gutted that amendment. The state supreme court just ruled for the voters.
Proposition 4 enacted the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act. It explicitly prohibited dividing districts in a manner to favor or disfavor any incumbent, candidate, or political party. It also minimized the splitting of municipalities into different districts; required that districts be geographically compact and contiguous; and followed “communities of interest” standards.
In response, the GOP-dominated legislature severely amended the statute with Senate Bill 200, removing the ban on partisan gerrymandering and clawing back its redistricting power. In maps drawn for the 2020 redistricting cycle, liberal strongholds were diluted in Salt Lake County and other areas to preserve that dominance.
In 2022, the League of Women Voters Utah and other democracy groups challenged the maps, and questioned the legislature’s authority to override the people’s vote. On July 11th, the court ruled that the legislature could NOT override the intent of the voters, only change it to codify or enhance the amendment.
Justices returned the case to a lower court, but said they may address the partisan gerrymandering portion of the case should it not be resolved by the lower court and legislature. We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – Utah Proposition 4, Independent Advisory Commission on Redistricting Initiative (2018)
Utah News Dispatch – Utah Supreme Court hands big win to plaintiffs in anti-gerrymandering lawsuit
Utah Supreme Court (via Democracy Docket) – League of Women Voters Utah v. Utah State Legislature
Democracy Docket – Utah Supreme Court Reinstates Challenge to Repeal of Anti-Gerrymandering Initiative
Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, ACLU of Utah
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