Federal Court Rejects GOP Effort to Block Utah House Map Favoring Democrats

The ruling marks the second setback for Republicans in recent days over the new congressional districts.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A federal court has rejected a request by Utah Republicans to block the use of new congressional voting districts in the state that are seen as giving Democrats an improved chance of winning a U.S. House seat. The ruling marks the second legal defeat for the GOP in recent days, after the state's Supreme Court also rejected an appeal over the new map.

Why it matters

The decision in Utah is part of a broader national redistricting battle, with Republican-led states like Texas, Missouri and North Carolina redrawing districts to favor the GOP, while Democratic-led states like California and Virginia respond with their own redistricting plans. The Utah case highlights the ongoing partisan fight over congressional maps ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

The details

A Utah judge imposed the new congressional districts last November after striking down the map adopted by the Republican-led state legislature. The judge ruled that the legislature had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters. The new map keeps Salt Lake County, a Democratic stronghold, largely within a single district instead of dividing it among all four districts as before. Republicans argued the judge lacked the authority to enact a map not approved by the legislature, but the federal court denied their request to block the new districts, saying Republicans were unlikely to prevail and that it was too late to intervene with the election already underway.

  • The federal court ruling was issued on February 23, 2026.
  • The Utah legislature's previous congressional map was struck down by a state judge in November 2025.
  • The filing period for Utah's congressional candidates opens on March 9, 2026.
  • Utah party caucuses are scheduled for March 17, 2026.
  • Utah state party conventions are to be held on April 25, 2026.

The players

Dianna Gibson

A Utah state judge who imposed the new congressional districts in the state after striking down the map adopted by the Republican-led legislature.

League of Women Voters of Utah

A plaintiff in the lawsuit that challenged the Republican-drawn congressional map in Utah.

Mormon Women for Ethical Government

A plaintiff in the lawsuit that challenged the Republican-drawn congressional map in Utah.

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What’s next

The new congressional districts will be used in Utah's 2026 elections, with the filing period for candidates opening on March 9 and party caucuses and conventions scheduled for later in the spring.

The takeaway

The federal court's rejection of the GOP's attempt to block the new Utah congressional map is the latest development in the ongoing national battle over redistricting, with both parties seeking to gain an advantage in the 2022 midterm elections through the redrawing of district boundaries.