Utah GOP's effort to repeal anti-gerrymandering law hits major roadblock

Thousands of potentially fraudulent signatures flagged, prompting criminal investigation

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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In a major blow to Utah Republicans' efforts to repeal the state's anti-gerrymandering law, county officials have flagged thousands of invalid and potentially fraudulent signatures in a petition drive to overturn Proposition 4, a 2018 voter-approved initiative that requires congressional maps to follow fairness and compactness criteria. The signature gathering was managed by a Wyoming-based firm that has been accused of misleading tactics, and the county clerk has referred dozens of suspect signature packets for criminal investigation.

Why it matters

The GOP's push to repeal Proposition 4 is part of a broader effort to regain control of the redistricting process in Utah and ensure all four of the state's congressional seats favor Republicans. This latest development could jeopardize those plans and leave the state's new, more balanced congressional map in place for the 2024 elections.

The details

Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson, a Republican, said his office identified hundreds of suspect signatures in packets tied to the repeal effort and referred 27 packets to the county attorney for criminal investigation. Each packet contains about 50 signatures. Davidson described the alleged fraud as "the most extensive" he has seen, with "making up names and addresses" and "non-existent person[s]." The signature drive was managed by Patriot Grassroots, a Wyoming-based firm paid over $4.3 million, which has been accused of misleading tactics in its work.

  • In 2018, Utah voters approved Proposition 4, which requires congressional maps to follow fairness and compactness criteria.
  • In 2021, GOP lawmakers in Utah ignored these rules when drawing new congressional maps, carving up Salt Lake City to ensure all four seats would be held by Republicans.
  • Judicial rulings later found this illegal and adopted a remedial map where one of the four districts is based wholly in Salt Lake City and favors Democrats.

The players

Aaron Davidson

A Republican county clerk in Utah who said his office identified hundreds of suspect signatures and referred dozens of packets for criminal investigation.

Patriot Grassroots

A Wyoming-based petition firm paid over $4.3 million to manage the signature gathering effort in Utah, which has been accused of misleading tactics.

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What they’re saying

“This is probably the most extensive fraud that we've seen. They're not just fraudulent signatures. [It's] making up names and addresses. It's like a non-existent person.”

— Aaron Davidson, Utah County Clerk (Fox News)

What’s next

The county attorney will decide whether to pursue criminal charges based on the investigation into the suspect signature packets.

The takeaway

This development casts serious doubt on the GOP's efforts to repeal Utah's anti-gerrymandering law, which could have significant implications for the state's congressional map and the balance of power in the House of Representatives.