League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Plaintiffs claimed that the congressional map is a partisan gerrymander in violation of the constitution. The suit alleged that the map intentionally dilutes the voting power of non-Republican voters by splitting Salt Lake County among each of the state’s four congressional districts. The plaintiffs also challenged the legislature’s repeal and replacement of redistricting reforms passed by citizen initiative. In October 2022, a trial court declined to dismiss the plaintiffs’ partisan gerrymandering claims but dismissed their repeal and replace challenge.
The Utah Supreme Court reversed that dismissal. It sent the case back to the lower court to consider whether the legislature improperly infringed voters’ fundamental right to “reform or alter” their government when it overturned the redistricting reforms passed by initiative.
Applying the strict scrutiny standard articulated by the state high court, the trial court on remand in August 2025 found the legislature violated that right and struck the congressional map, which was enacted pursuant to the law repealing the initiative.
The Utah Supreme Court has agreed to hear an emergency petition from the legislator defendants’ seeking to stay the trial court’s permanent injunction striking the map and directing the legislature to prepare a new remedial one.
Note: The Brennan Center for Justice, which maintains State Court Report, filed an amicus brief in this case.
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