Utah GOP Repeal of Anti-Gerrymander Law Faces Collapse Amid Fraud Investigation
Key Facts
- The repeal campaign has verified 54% of the required 140,679 signatures as of early February.
- Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson referred 27 signature packets for criminal investigation due to fabricated names and addresses.
- Utahns for Representative Government terminated a $4.3 million contract with the petition firm Patriot Grassroots.
- The deadline to submit valid signatures is Sunday, February 15.
- President Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. publicly encouraged supporters to sign the repeal petition.
A Republican-led effort to repeal Utah’s independent redistricting law is expected to fail following allegations of widespread signature fraud and a significant shortfall in required petitions. The campaign, which sought to overturn Proposition 4, faces a Sunday deadline but has verified only 76,079 of the necessary 140,679 signatures. If the repeal fails to qualify for the November ballot, a court-ordered redistricting map that includes a new Democratic-leaning congressional district will remain in place.
Historical Context
Utah voters passed Proposition 4 in 2018 to establish an independent redistricting commission and limit partisan gerrymandering. Republicans intensified efforts to repeal the law after state courts used its standards to mandate changes to the congressional map, a move that could shift the balance of power in the 2026 midterm elections.
Perspective Analysis
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