Utah Judge Redesigns Congressional Districts, Favoring Democrats

Tue Nov 11 2025 13:25:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant ruling, a Utah judge has invalidated a Republican-drawn congressional map and adopted a new one that favors Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

A Utah judge has rejected a Republican-drawn congressional map, citing it unfairly favored the GOP. The new map, suggested by Democrat-aligned groups, aims to provide a competitive edge for Democrats in Utah, where they haven’t held Congressional seats since 2021. This decision could reshape the political landscape in the state as the 2026 midterms approach.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge on Monday rejected a new congressional map proposed by Republican lawmakers, adopting an alternate proposal that creates a Democrat-leaning district ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Currently, Republicans hold all four of Utah's U.S. House seats and expected the new map to protect their dominance. However, Judge Dianna Gibson ruled just before a midnight deadline that the legislation's proposed map “unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats.”

Gibson had mandated that lawmakers draw a map in compliance with anti-gerrymandering standards established by voters, meaning districts shouldn't deliberately favor one party over another. When lawmakers failed to do so, she considered other maps submitted by plaintiffs in a related lawsuit.

The judge ultimately approved a map drawn by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, which keeps Salt Lake County confined within a single district rather than splitting its predominantly Democratic population among multiple districts.

This ruling poses a considerable challenge for Republicans in a state they anticipated would yield a clean sweep, especially as they seek to secure additional seats elsewhere. Nationally, Democrats need to net three U.S. House seats in the upcoming elections to gain control of the chamber, countering a trend where the president's party typically loses seats during midterms.

The newly approved map significantly enhances Democrats' chances of flipping a seat in a state lacking a Democratic Congress member since early 2021. “This is a win for every Utahn,” proclaimed the state House and Senate Democrats in a joint statement, emphasizing their commitment to fair representation.

In August, Gibson dismissed Utah's previously drawn congressional map due to gerrymandering, prompting a national debate on redistricting as Trump encouraged Republican states to pursue mid-decade redistricting efforts to maintain the GOP's control in the House for 2026.

Although redistricting typically occurs after a census every ten years, some states are considering revisions mid-decade. The updated map in Utah offers an unexpected advantage for Democrats, allowing them to gain ground where redistricting had previously favored Republicans. Gibson asserted her responsibility in establishing a lawful map before the deadline, despite the partisan pushback from Republican lawmakers claiming overreach in her authority.