Filed Date: March 16, 2022
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
In 2018, a coalition of Utah voters passed Proposition 4 (Prop 4), prohibiting partisan gerrymandering and establishing the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission (the Commission). The Utah legislature overruled the will of voters in 2020 by voting to replace Prop 4 with S.B. 200, which rescinded the ban on partisan gerrymandering and other government reforms. S.B. 200 kept the Commission in a solely advisory capacity, with the legislature giving itself the authority to discard nonpartisan maps. Utah's resulting 2021 Congressional map "cracked" Salt Lake County, home to the largest concentration of non-Republican voters, among all four congressional districts, rather than drawing a district corresponding to the county.
On March 16, 2022, the League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and seven qualified, registered voters in Utah who, the plaintiffs argued, would live in the same district under a neutral plan, filed suit against the Utah Legislature, the Committee, and various state legislators in their official capacities in the Third Judicial District Court for Salt Lake County. Plaintiffs' representation included the Campaign Legal Center. Plaintiffs claimed that the 2021 Congressional Plan violated the Free Elections, Equal Protection, Free Speech and Association, Affirmative Right to Vote, and Citizen Lawmaking Authority to Alter or Reform Government clauses of the Utah Constitution. Plaintiffs sought to enjoin S.B. 200 and reinstate Prop 4 before the 2024 elections.
On August 22, 2022, Judge Dianna M. Gibson of the Third Judicial District Court for Salt Lake County denied defendants' motion to stay the proceedings pending the Supreme Court's decision about whether the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution bars state courts from reviewing and replacing congressional districting maps drawn by state legislatures in Moore v. Harper. The court determined that the timing and uncertain impact of Moore on this case meant a stay pending the Supreme Court's decision was not justified.
The court heard oral argument on August 24, 2022. On October 24, 2022, the court issued a summary ruling denying in part and granting in part Defendants' motion to dismiss. The court denied defendants' motion to dismiss the Free Elections Clause, Equal Protection, Free Speech and Association, and Affirmative Right to Vote claims. The court granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the unauthorized repeal of Prop 4 in violation of the Utah Constitution's Citizen Lawmaking Authority to Alter or Reform Government claim. The court planned to issue a full written decision shortly.
Summary Authors
Anna Lennon (11/26/2022)
Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:31 p.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Mid-Decade Redistricting Cases
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 16, 2022
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and individual Utah voters.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Non-profit religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
State
Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee
Utah State Legislature
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Other Dockets:
Utah state trial court 22-0901712
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Voting:
Redistricting/district composition
Case Summary of League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/43870/ (last updated 11/26/2022).