Utah Residents Push for Prop. 4 Repeal Ahead of Deadline

Signature gathering efforts face accusations of misinformation as deadline looms

Feb. 4, 2026 at 2:07pm

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Residents across Utah have reported encounters with paid signature gatherers seeking to place a repeal of Proposition 4 on the ballot, with claims that the gatherers have lied or withheld information. Prop 4 established an independent redistricting commission, but the Utah legislature later reduced the commission to an advisory role and repealed the ban on partisan gerrymandering. If Prop 4 is repealed, partisan gerrymandering could become more likely in the state.

Why it matters

The outcome of the Prop 4 repeal effort could have significant implications for the fairness of Utah's electoral districts and the balance of political power in the state. Opponents argue the independent redistricting commission was intended to keep districts fair, while proponents believe the legislature should have the authority to draw district maps.

The details

A signature gathering event was hosted at Tooele High School on Jan. 31, 2026, in conjunction with Republican party caucus training. Attendees included Melanie Monestere of the Utah State Republican Party, Kevin Macho of the Tooele County Republican Party, and Holly Crowley, a former Tooele County Republican Party chair running for state office. They discussed concerns about the role of the judiciary in Prop 4 issues and the potential benefits of repealing the proposition, including the possibility of restoring legislative control over redistricting.

  • Proposition 4 was approved by a slim majority in 2018.
  • In 2020, the Utah legislature enacted Senate Bill 200, which reduced the independent redistricting commission to an advisory role and allowed the legislature to impose its own maps while repealing the ban on partisan gerrymandering.
  • The deadline for signature gathering to get the repeal of Prop 4 on the upcoming ballot is approaching.

The players

Melanie Monestere

Vice Chair of the Utah State Republican Party.

Kevin Macho

Chairman of the Tooele County Republican Party.

Holly Crowley

Former Tooele County Republican Party chair who is currently running for Utah House District 29.

League of Women Voters of Utah

An organization that sued the state over the new congressional maps, asserting they were a 'partisan gerrymander and violated the Utah Constitution'.

Utah Independent Redistricting Commission

A commission created by Proposition 4 to draw and submit proposed redistricting maps to the Utah legislature.

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What they’re saying

“What turns out, for people like us in a rural community, is they're going to change the boundaries. Next thing you know, we'll have a congressperson—not our congresswoman who represents all of rural Utah on this side down to Washington County, up here, and parts of Davis County—but a congressperson who puts us in lockstep with Salt Lake City, which we couldn't be more different from.”

— Holly Crowley, Former Tooele County Republican Party chair

“One thing that's very important to us is…we're not perfect people, but you can actually count on us to just tell you the truth, as far as what we're doing. And if there's anything that we're doing that, of course, isn't correct, we will make a correction as immediately as possible. But hearing that people are actually misleading people for signatures, the word 'disappointing' to me would be a vast understatement.”

— Kevin Macho, Chairman of the Tooele County Republican Party

“I think the main benefit is that—what has happened through the courts with Prop 4 is that it was intended to have a redistricting commission. What we have now is a map that did not go through a redistricting commission that was not shown to be in compliance with any of the requirements that the maps are supposed to meet. We've got a map that was chosen by a judge that was actually drawn by a party to a lawsuit.”

— Melanie Monestere, Vice Chair of the Utah State Republican Party

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the repeal of Proposition 4 to be placed on the ballot.

The takeaway

The push to repeal Proposition 4 in Utah highlights the ongoing debate over the role of independent redistricting commissions and the potential for partisan gerrymandering. The outcome could have significant implications for the fairness of Utah's electoral districts and the balance of political power in the state.