Utah GOP's Prop. 4 repeal hits the road: Seven hearings scheduled tonight

The 2025 municipal elections are tomorrow.
Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026) - 78
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 365
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,100

Give the gift of accountability

Know someone who's tired of bootlickers and corporate-owned news? Give them a gift subscription to Utah Political Watch.

Independent journalism isn't a luxury—it's essential. And right now, fewer than 1% of our readers are carrying the load for everyone else. A gift subscription means one more person supporting our work holding elected officials accountable.

Buy a gift subscription

Tonight at 6 p.m. is the first public test of the Utah GOP’s push to repeal Proposition 4—the state’s anti‑gerrymandering measure—and to set up a 2026 ballot fight over redistricting.

The party, through its affiliated political issues committee (PIC), Utahns for Representative Government, is holding seven legally required hearings statewide at 6 p.m. The closest to Salt Lake County: a 50‑minute drive to Spanish Fork or about 90 minutes to Logan.

A second, optional round is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 10, including a Kaysville stop that’s closer to Salt Lake County. Unlike tonight’s legally required hearings—which must offer at least one hour of public comment—the Nov. 10 meetings are not required and may not follow the same rules.

The Utah GOP first tried to repeal Proposition 4, the anti‑gerrymandering initiative voters approved in 2018, via the state’s indirect initiative process, which sends a proposal to the Legislature for an up‑or‑down vote. The party dropped that plan after Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson told sponsors that using an indirect initiative to overturn a direct initiative is likely unconstitutional.

Instead, the party pivoted to a direct repeal campaign. If organizers collect roughly 140,000 signatures by Feb. 15—and meet signature requirements in 26 of 29 state Senate districts—voters will decide next year whether to keep or repeal Prop. 4, the same measure they approved less than a decade ago.

Running parallel to the direct initiative push is a referendum drive to block the congressional map lawmakers approved last month. If organizers collect about 140,000 signatures by Nov. 15—including distribution targets in 15 of 29 Senate districts—the map is paused and goes to voters next November.