Utah GOP Aims to Repeal Independent Redistricting Commission

Republicans submit over 200,000 signatures to put measure on November ballot

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Utah Republican Party has collected enough signatures to qualify a ballot initiative that would repeal the state's independent redistricting commission and return the power to draw congressional maps to the state legislature. The measure faces opposition from Utah Democrats, who have launched an effort to remove signatures from the petition.

Why it matters

The battle over redistricting in Utah reflects a broader partisan struggle across the country, as Republicans and Democrats fight for control over the process of drawing electoral districts. The outcome could have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress.

The details

The Utah GOP initiative would scrap an independent panel created by a 2018 ballot measure and allow the Republican-controlled state legislature to redraw congressional boundaries. Republicans argue the maps should be drawn by elected officials, not unelected commissions. Democrats counter that this would allow the party in power to gerrymander districts for political gain.

  • The signature submission deadline was February 15, 2026.
  • The state is expected to take about two weeks to certify the signatures.

The players

Rob Axson

Utah Republican Party Chairman and chair of Utahns for Representative Government, the organization behind the redistricting initiative.

Burgess Owens

Republican U.S. Representative from Utah, considered the most likely to lose his seat under the newly redrawn congressional map.

Deidre Henderson

Utah Lieutenant Governor, named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit challenging the state's court-ordered congressional map.

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What they’re saying

“We get to decide come November.”

— Rob Axson, Utah Republican Party Chairman (The Epoch Times)

“When leaders draw the lines to guarantee victory, that's not a republic. It's rule by design—power secured before a single vote is cast.”

— Utah Democratic Party (Facebook)

What’s next

The state is expected to take about two weeks to certify the signatures submitted by the Utah GOP. If the measure qualifies for the ballot, Utah voters will decide in November whether to repeal the independent redistricting commission.

The takeaway

The battle over redistricting in Utah highlights the ongoing partisan struggle for control over the electoral map-drawing process, with significant implications for the balance of power in Congress. The outcome could set a precedent for other states grappling with similar redistricting disputes.