Utah
| State website: | Redistrict Utah, State legislative redistricting site |
| 2000-cycle districts: | maps.utah.gov, Congress, State Senate, State House |
| Primary governing law: | Utah Const. art. IX, § 1 |
Congress: On October 17, the state legislature passed SB 3002, which was signed by the governor on October 20.
State leg.: On October 4, the legislature passed HB 3001 (state House) and SB 3001 (state Senate). The governor signed the state House plan on October 19, and the state Senate plan on October 20. On January 27, 2012, the legislature passed SB 125 and HB 286, with amendments to state legislative boundaries; both were signed on January 30.
- Institution
Redistricting political control:
Governor State Senate State House Congressional lines R 7 D, 22 R 17 D, 58 R (could override veto) State legislative lines R 7 D, 22 R 17 D, 58 R (could override veto) 2000 cong. lines R 9 D, 20 R 24 D, 51 R (could override veto) 2000 state lines R 9 D, 20 R 24 D, 51 R (could override veto) Utah's congressional and state legislative lines are both drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto. The members of the legislative committee with responsibility for redistricting are listed here.
- Timing
Census data were delivered to Utah on February 24, 2011.
Utah state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional lines, though candidates must file for congressional primary elections by March 16, 2012. [Utah Code § 20A 9-202(1)(d)(i)]
The legislature's constitutional deadline for drawing state legislative lines is the end of the first legislative session after census data is received, though the 2001 legislature passed redistricting legislation in special session. The next regular session will begin on January 23, 2012, and will end no later than March 8, 2012. [Utah Const. art. VI, § 2; Utah Const. art. VI, § 16; Utah Const. art. IX, § 1] Candidates must file for state legislative primary elections by March 16, 2012. [Utah Code § 20A 9-202(1)(b)(i)]
Utah ties the drawing of both congressional and state legislative lines to the Census, and might therefore be construed to prohibit redrawing lines mid-decade. [Utah Const. art. IX, § 1]
- Public input
The legislative committee responsible for redistricting held a series of 17 public hearings. Hearing audio and related materials are available here and here; some electronically submitted public comments have been archived here.
Software, built in partnership with ESRI, is available to help citizens propose plans of their own.
- Criteria
Like all states, Utah must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. In 2011, the legislature adopted guidelines further requiring state legislative districts to deviate no more than 3.5% from the average population; these guidelines may be changed at any time. [2011 Redistricting Principles]
Utah must also, like all states, abide by section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
In 2011, the Utah legislative redistricting committees used guidelines for both congressional and state legislative districts; these guidelines may be changed at any time. These guidelines asked that both congressional and state legislative districts be contiguous and "reasonably compact." [2011 Redistricting Principles]
- 2010 cycle cases
Utah Dem. Party v. Legis. Records Comm., No. 120906505 (Utah Dist. Ct., 3d Dist.): a challenge in state court to allegedly excessive fees for a records request regarding the 2011-2012 redistricting cycle.
- Petition (Sept. 25, 2012).
- Def. motion for summary judgment (Mar. 26, 2013), opposition (Apr. 2), reply (Apr. 16).
- Plt. motion for judgment on the record (Apr. 2), opposition (Apr. 16), reply (Apr. 17).
- Judgment on the record (May 15).
The latest: The petition for relief was filed on September 25, 2012. On May 15, 2013, the court granted judgment ruling that much of the case was moot, but also awarding attorneys' fees to the petitioners.
- 2000 cycle
In the 2000 redistricting cycle, Utah's legislature passed a congressional, state Senate, and state House plans that were signed on October 11, 2001. It appears that these plans were not challenged in court.
- Other state links
