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Utah GOP Signature Push to Repeal Anti-Gerrymandering Law Draws Misleading-Tactics Complaints

The repeal targets the 2018 Better Boundaries law establishing an independent commission that bans partisan gerrymandering.

Overview

  • Utah’s lieutenant governor reports 20,857 validated signatures, while the GOP says it has collected about half of the 140,748 needed by Feb. 14 with progress varying by state Senate district.
  • Multiple voters, including college students, describe being misled or pressured by some petition circulators, with accounts of false explanations and aggressive approaches on campuses.
  • Voters who say they were deceived can request removal of their names by submitting a signed form to their county clerk, with submission requirements differing between counties.
  • Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson denies any organized deception and says paid circulators receive repeated training, acknowledging isolated misstatements may occur.
  • If the measure qualifies and passes in 2026, it would eliminate the independent redistricting commission and the ban on partisan gerrymandering, shifting future map-drawing power back to the Legislature.