Overview
- U.S. Reps. Burgess Owens and Celeste Maloy joined 11 local officials in filing a federal lawsuit seeking to block Utah’s court-ordered congressional map for the 2026 elections.
- The complaint argues Judge Dianna Gibson violated the U.S. Constitution’s Elections Clause by imposing boundaries not enacted by the Legislature.
- Plaintiffs ask the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City to declare the map unconstitutional and either reinstate the 2021 map or return the task to lawmakers.
- Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson is named as the defendant because she administers elections, with plaintiffs stressing the designation is a legal necessity.
- The suit says the map reduces GOP-leaning seats from four to three and disrupts campaigns, while the Legislature pursues appellate relief, the League of Women Voters defends the map as fair and legal, and the Utah GOP races to gather signatures by Feb. 15 to repeal Proposition 4.