1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to respect Judge Dianna Gibson's recent ruling on Utah's congressional maps and to refrain from any attempts to appeal this decision or impeach Judge Gibson. This ruling, which reinstates Proposition 4 and orders new maps to be drawn within 30 days, is a crucial step towards ensuring fair representation for all Utahns. In 2018, Utah voters approved Proposition 4, establishing an independent redistricting commission and banning partisan gerrymandering. The subsequent actions by the legislature to gut this voter-approved measure through SB200 in 2020 were a clear violation of our state constitution and the will of the people. Judge Gibson's ruling correctly identifies this overreach, stating that it unconstitutionally impaired citizens' right to 'alter or reform' government. The current maps, drawn in 2021, show clear signs of gerrymandering. Democratic voters are evenly distributed across all four congressional districts, diluting their voting power and undermining the principle of fair representation. This manipulation of district boundaries goes against the core tenets of democracy and must be rectified. The court has set a deadline of September 24 for the legislature to produce new maps that comply with Proposition 4 standards. These standards include avoiding the use of partisan voter data and minimizing the splitting of cities and counties. I strongly urge you to work diligently towards meeting this deadline and creating fair, non-partisan maps that truly represent the diverse communities of Utah. Any attempt to appeal this decision or to impeach Judge Gibson would only serve to further undermine public trust in our democratic institutions. Instead, I ask that you channel your efforts into complying with the court's order and restoring the independent redistricting process that voters originally approved. The eyes of Utahns and the nation are upon our state legislature. How you respond to this ruling will have far-reaching implications for the integrity of our electoral system and the faith that citizens place in their government. I implore you to stand on the right side of history by supporting fair redistricting and respecting the court's decision. The future of representative democracy in Utah depends on your actions in the coming weeks.