Utah ordered to redraw congressional map, seat for Democrats possible

Politics Utah ordered to redraw congressional map, seat for Democrats possible By Hunter Woodall Hunter Woodall Political Editorial Producer Hunter Woodall is a political editorial producer for CBS News. He covered the 2020 New Hampshire primary for The Associated Press and has also worked as a Kansas statehouse reporter for The Kansas City Star and the Washington correspondent for Minnesota's Star Tribune. Read Full Bio Hunter Woodall Updated on: August 26, 2025 / 5:35 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A new move by a Utah judge ordering the Legislature to redraw its congressional maps is the latest turn in an ongoing saga over redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. And this latest development could help Democrats. Back in 2018, Utah voters narrowly passed a ballot measure known as Proposition 4. The effort focused on bringing about an independent redistricting commission while also putting in place "requirements on the Legislature's redistricting process." At the same time, it also prohibited "the commission or Legislature from favoring or disfavoring incumbent elected officials or from considering partisan political information," according to voter information documents from the state. At issue in the case decided Monday, according to court filings, was whether a bipartisan state law passed in 2020 had "unconstitutionally impaired" the voter-passed proposition.  Utah Judge Dianna Gibson ruled against the Legislature Monday, writing in a decision that "the Legislature is directed to design and enact a remedial congressional redistricting map in conformity with Proposition 4's mandatory redistricting standards and requirements." The latest ruling sets up a short window this fall to make changes, although it's unclear how appeals may impact that process and final deadline. Although it's unrelated, the ruling comes amid redistricting battles across the country that were jumpstarted by the GOP effort this summer to try and h...