Utah Supreme Court dismisses legislature's redistricting appeal

Lt. Governor's office releases signatures to put redistricting measure back on 2026 ballot

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Utah Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the state legislature challenging the court's previous ruling on redistricting. This clears the way for a redistricting measure, Proposition 4, to potentially be placed back on the 2026 ballot through a signature gathering effort led by the Lt. Governor's office.

Why it matters

The court's decision upholds an earlier ruling that found the legislature's redistricting plan unconstitutional. This sets the stage for a new round of redistricting debates and potential ballot measures as Utah prepares for the 2026 elections.

The details

In its ruling, the Utah Supreme Court dismissed the legislature's appeal, agreeing with the lower court's finding that the redistricting plan violated the state constitution's requirement for compact and contiguous districts. This allows the Lt. Governor's office to move forward with a signature gathering campaign to put Proposition 4, a redistricting reform measure, back on the 2026 ballot.

  • The Utah Supreme Court dismissed the legislature's appeal on February 21, 2026.
  • The Lt. Governor's office has begun collecting signatures to potentially place Proposition 4 on the 2026 ballot.

The players

Utah Supreme Court

The highest court in the state of Utah, which ruled against the legislature's redistricting plan.

Utah Legislature

The state's legislative body that had appealed the court's previous ruling on redistricting.

Lt. Governor's Office

The office of Utah's lieutenant governor, which is leading the signature gathering effort to potentially place a redistricting reform measure on the 2026 ballot.

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What’s next

The Lt. Governor's office will need to collect a sufficient number of signatures by a certain deadline in order to qualify Proposition 4 for the 2026 ballot.

The takeaway

This ruling preserves the opportunity for Utah voters to have a direct say in the state's redistricting process through a potential 2026 ballot measure, after the legislature's plan was found unconstitutional.