⏰ Tick Tock
Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 18
Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026) - 95
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 382
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,117
Using the people's power to defeat the people's power
The Utah GOP is attempting to kill voter-approved anti-gerrymandering reforms through a constitutional loophole that may not actually exist. Their weapon? An obscure legislative maneuver called an "indirect initiative" that hasn't been used since 1999—and one legal expert says it's constitutionally bogus.
There are two ways for Utah citizens to propose legislation. The most common is a ballot initiative which requires collecting signatures from a certain number of registered voters, then putting the proposal on the ballot where it is voted up or down. That process gave us Proposition 4, the anti-gerrymandering law that established an independent redistricting commission.
The other is an “indirect initiative,” which allows for the public to submit a proposed law directly to the state legislature, who then vote the proposal up or down.
The Utah GOP is attempting to use this process to submit a proposal to repeal Prop. 4 to lawmakers in next year's legislative session—conveniently bypassing court rulings and the same voters who approved the anti-gerrymandering measure in the first place. Essentially, the GOP wants voters to ask the legislature to overturn the voters who explicitly told them to stop gerrymandering.
Quinn Yeargain, Professor of the Law of Democracy at Michigan State who contributes to The Downballot, argues on Bluesky that Utah’s indirect initiative process might be illegitimate.
First off, the Utah Constitution explicitly mentions the ballot initiative process, but says nothing about indirect initiatives.
“There is nothing that I see in the constitution that allows for an indirect initiative, which is an alternative legislative process. To my knowledge, every other state with an indirect initiative expressly authorizes it in their constitution.”
Utah’s Constitution says Utah voters “may initiate any desired legislation and cause it to be submitted to the people for adoption upon a majority vote of those voting on the legislation, as provided by statute.”
“Even if we read the "as provided by statute" in the Utah Constitution reaaaaaaaally broadly, it would be stunning to me if the legislature could be authorized by the constitution to statutorily establish an alternative legislative process. That would be an absurd way to read the provision,” Yeargan argues.
Essentially, he says, the Utah GOP is cynically attempting to “use the people’s power to defeat the people’s power.”
“But even if I'm wrong about the constitutionality of the indirect initiative, there's certainly a really strong argument that the power of the people to propose and approve a statute themselves should prevail over the power of the people to propose that the legislature consider a statute.”
The courts will have to decide whether this end-run around voters is legal. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit over Prop. 4 sued to block the GOP’s indirect initiative effort on Thursday morning.
Friday morning's headlines
Utah and the West
"$40 an hour to SAVE Utah": GOP hiring paid signature gatherers for redistricting battle. [Utah Political Watch]
Former Utah Rep. Ben McAdams signals congressional comeback bid. [Utah Political Watch]
Former Iron County GOP chairman faces new domestic violence-related charges. [KSL]
To better prosecute domestic violence, Salt Lake County is training police to respond to trauma. [Utah News Dispatch]
Utah could become first red state requiring menstrual products to have more transparent labels. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Salt Lake City's Ballpark Neighborhood left waiting as $100M pledge may fall short. [KUTV]
"Witch Hunt": Utah lawmakers grill Salt Lake School District on former West High principal's departure. [Salt Lake Tribune]
After two weeks without paychecks, SLC airport opens pantry for federal workers. [Utah News Dispatch]
Visitors continue to flock to Zion National Park amid government shutdown. Here's what's keeping it open. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Parts of Utah drop out of moderate drought for the first time since July. [KSL]
Utah's environment shows successes, struggles in new Utah State University report. [Fox 13]
Nation
Senate leaders are giving each other the silent treatment as the government shutdown drags on. [Axios]
When the Obamacare tax credits expire, healthcare premiums for millions of Americans will skyrocket. House Republican leadership doesn't want to extend them. [Punchbowl news]
"No Kings" organizers project a massive turnout for this weekend's protests. [NPR]
More than 170 U.S. citizens have been held by immigration agents. They've been kicked, dragged and detained for days. [ProPublica]
Ohio GOP Congressman Dave Taylor says an American flag with a swastika that was seen in his office was a "ruse" targeting Republicans. [USA Today]
World
President Donald Trump says he will meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest. [Financial Times]
Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today. [ABC News]
Ahead of Zelenskyy meeting, Trump shows signs he might not be ready to send Kyiv Tomahawk missiles. [Associated Press]
U.S. B-52s and helicopters fly near Venezuela in show of threats. [New York Times]
A U.S. military strike on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean left some survivors. [Reuters]