Federal court declines to block Utah's new congressional map

Panel of federal judges rejects request to stop map from being used in 2026 midterm elections

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A panel of federal judges has rejected a request to block Utah's new congressional map from being used during the 2026 midterm elections, dealing another blow to the Utah Legislature just days after Utah's Supreme Court also refused to block the map. The panel cited the Purcell principle, which states that federal courts should not alter state election rules close to an election, as a reason for denying the request from multiple elected officials and voters who had sued the lieutenant governor over the use of the map.

Why it matters

This decision is the latest step in a yearslong battle over redistricting maps in Utah, dating back to 2018 when voters passed Proposition 4 to create an independent commission to recommend new political boundaries. After the GOP-controlled Legislature weakened the commission and chose maps of its own, voter groups sued, leading a judge to throw out Utah's congressional map and adopt a new one that created a Democratic-leaning district in Salt Lake County. The federal court's decision to allow the new map to be used in the 2026 elections preserves this court-drawn district.

The details

The three-judge panel convened by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request from multiple elected officials and voters, including Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens, who had sued Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson over the use of the map in the upcoming election cycle. Two of the judges cited the Purcell principle, which states that 'federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period close to an election.' The third judge disagreed that the Purcell principle would prevent the court from intervening, but agreed with the others on the panel who found the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on the merits of their claims.

  • The federal court decision was issued on Monday, February 24, 2026.
  • The congressional filing deadline is next month.

The players

Celeste Maloy

A Utah state representative who was one of the plaintiffs suing the lieutenant governor over the use of the new congressional map.

Burgess Owens

A Utah state representative who was one of the plaintiffs suing the lieutenant governor over the use of the new congressional map.

Deidre Henderson

The lieutenant governor of Utah, who was named as a defendant in the lawsuit over the new congressional map.

Dianna Gibson

A 3rd District Judge in Utah who adopted a new congressional map after rejecting the maps drawn by the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Katharine Biele

The president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, one of the groups that originally filed the lawsuit over Utah's congressional map.

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What they’re saying

“'Utah voters should not have to navigate uncertainty to participate in fair elections. We are pleased the court protected this fair map and we remain focused on protecting voters' ability to make their voices heard.'”

— Katharine Biele, President, League of Women Voters of Utah (KSL)

“'(T)he district court created timing and remedy issues that otherwise might not exist. As a result, this court has now been asked to answer federal and state questions of great import within three weeks. Further, the court's adoption of a map proposed by an undoubtedly interested, nongovernmental party unnecessarily raises doubts about the fairness of the process. None of this need have happened.'”

— Timothy Tymkovich, 10th Circuit Judge (KSL)

What’s next

The congressional filing deadline is next month, so the new congressional map will be used in the 2026 midterm elections in Utah.

The takeaway

This decision preserves the court-drawn congressional map in Utah that created a Democratic-leaning district in Salt Lake County, despite efforts by the GOP-controlled Legislature to draw maps that favored their party. It highlights the ongoing battles over redistricting and gerrymandering that have played out across the country in recent years.