Two Utah Republican Congress members are asking a federal court to block new U.S. House districts that could help Democrats win a Salt Lake City seat.

With the deadline to file for reelection a little over a month away, two of Utah’s Republican members of Congress are asking a federal court to block the use of new U.S. House districts that could significantly boost Democrats’ chances of winning a Salt Lake City area seat in November.

A lawsuit filed late Monday by U.S. Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens and nearly a dozen local officials contends a state judge violated the U.S. Constitution last year when she rejected congressional districts drawn by the Republican-led state Legislature and instead imposed an alternative map submitted by groups suing the Legislature.

The U.S. Constitution and Utah Constitution both give redistricting powers to the state Legislature, the lawsuit asserts, and “courts have no authority to draw a congressional map.” The lawsuit contends Utah’s districts should revert to those last approved by the Legislature in 2021, unless lawmakers come up with new ones.

Utah is one of several states still locked in legal battles over House voting districts ahead of the midterm elections this fall.

  • tlekiteki@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    16·
    23 hours ago

    Very interesting. I reseached this for over half an hour.

    Utah legislation has that right, not a judge. (U.S. Cons 1.4)

    Should a Federal Court be handling it rather than, say, Supreme Court of Utah? Nowhere in section 4 is that mentioned. Actually

    The Supreme Court of Utah did rule that the legislature illegally disregarded a Referendum. Right to referendum is guaranteed by the Utah Constitution since 1900.

    The funniest detail fs that the referendum only required the Utah legislature to vote on the map proposed by the independent commission. These grabby boomers could have just voted no, but instead they had a tantrum and are trying to repeal the very right to have a referendum.

    A useful summary: https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/inside-utah-politics/proposition-4-map-c-special-sessions-redistricting-timeline/