GOP bid to repeal Utah's gerrymandering ban faces uncertain future

Backers of the initiative to overturn Prop 4 still need over 50,000 valid signatures by the Feb. 15 deadline.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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With a deadline looming, the latest data shows backers of an effort to repeal Utah's ban on gerrymandering still need more than 50,000 valid signatures to put the initiative on the ballot. The GOP-backed Utahns for Representative Government (UFRG) group has until 5 p.m. on Feb. 15 to submit enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Meanwhile, Republican legislators and elected officials are pursuing legal battles to undo the court-ordered congressional map currently in place for the 2026 election.

Why it matters

The fate of the initiative to repeal Utah's 2018 voter-approved Proposition 4, which created an independent redistricting commission and banned partisan gerrymandering, will have major implications for how congressional districts are drawn in the state. If the initiative makes the ballot and passes, it would allow the Republican-controlled legislature to redraw district boundaries without the constraints of Prop 4, potentially leading to more gerrymandered districts that favor the GOP.

The details

As of Friday, UFRG had 88,948 validated signatures, needing to submit enough additional signatures by the deadline to bring the total to 140,748. The group also needs to meet the same signature threshold in 26 of the state's 29 senate districts, having reached that in just 4 southern Utah districts so far. Even if the initiative qualifies, it would not impact the 2026 midterms, with UFRG organizers hoping voters will repeal Prop 4 ahead of the 2028 election cycle.

  • The signature gathering deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2026.
  • County clerks' offices will be open this weekend to accept the final batches of signature packets.
  • The matter must be decided no later than Feb. 23, 2026 according to the lieutenant governor's office.

The players

Utahns for Representative Government (UFRG)

A GOP-backed group that is leading the effort to repeal Utah's ban on partisan gerrymandering through a ballot initiative.

Spencer Cox

The governor of Utah, who has sent a plea to voters asking them to sign the UFRG petition.

Better Boundaries

A group that has begun contacting voters and encouraging them to withdraw their signatures from the UFRG petition.

Dianna Gibson

A 3rd District Judge who ruled that the boundaries drawn by the Utah Legislature were unlawfully gerrymandered and imposed a new congressional map for the 2026 election.

Robert Shelby

A U.S. District Judge who is presiding over a federal court challenge to Judge Gibson's court-ordered congressional map.

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What’s next

The judge in the federal court case will decide whether to dismiss the challenge to Judge Gibson's court-ordered congressional map.

The takeaway

The battle over Utah's congressional redistricting is far from over, with the GOP-backed effort to repeal the state's gerrymandering ban facing an uphill battle to make the ballot. The outcome will have major implications for how district boundaries are drawn in the state, potentially allowing for more partisan gerrymandering if the initiative succeeds.