The Republican-led campaign to repeal Utah’s anti-gerrymandering law won’t make November’s ballot. The proposed ballot initiative sponsored by Utahns for Representative Government (UFRG) initially cleared the bar, but a sustained signature removal push dropped the effort below the required number of signatures in one Senate district, according to new numbers released Thursday morning.
Since voters approved Proposition 4 in 2018, Utah GOP leaders have repeatedly tried, and failed, to kill the law and its independent redistricting commission.
- In 2020, lawmakers passed SB200 to repeal and replace Prop. 4, downgrading the commission to an advisory role. After a coalition of organizations sued, the Utah Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that lawmakers overstepped their constitutional authority. In 2025, Judge Dianna Gibson reinstated Prop. 4 and tossed the Legislature’s 2021 congressional map.
- Late last year, GOP leaders floated the idea of an indirect initiative to repeal Prop. 4, which allows voters to force the legislature to vote on a proposal if they collect enough signatures. They dropped it after Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson warned using an indirect initiative to repeal a voter-approved direct ballot initiative would likely be unconstitutional.
- UFRG then pivoted to a direct initiative to put the repeal proposal on November’s ballot. That’s the effort that just flamed out.
So what now? Here’s what to watch.
