I do not believe this map will ensure all Utah voices will be fairly weighted. Please, let's have a map where there is actually some competition in political races that reflects Utah.
Jacquelyn Cruse
Congressional Districts should be determined based on census data, not partisan agendas. Do the job you were elected to do without geri-rigging or gerrymandering.
Annika Suchoski
No. Maps must be drawn by nonpartisan, independent groups. That's the will of the people.
liz nordloh
if you have to cheat to win is it winning? Do what the people you represent want not what you want.
Brian L Currie
All of the republican drawn proposals are just different attempts to gerrymander. I prefer the original map created by the independent redistricting committee.
Brian L Currie
None of the maps the republicans created are totally fair, but map C is the worse. Not very competitive and still gerrymandered to ensure republican victory instead of a fair vote.
Laura B Livnat
No republican lawmaker should be allowed to make a map, they can't be trusted to do anything but grab for power. As a Utah voter I want one of the independent commission maps to be used, as the law says.
Delese Bettinson
This map makes an effort at adhering to the rules as stated in the law. I think some minor changes could make this a viable solution. I'm not sure how the population of large geographical districts feel about being in a bunch of combined counties although it's difficult to escape that reality with smaller population sizes in rural Utah. It would make it difficult to canvass as an individual running for office in those areas. It seems most cities are whole, districts are compact (except for the outlying smaller towns as already mentioned),but I don't see too much irregularly shaped districts. I think I favor another map on here more but again this at least makes an attempt and a few changes could make it a viable option.
Raeleen A Sanchez
I am opposed to all redistricting maps prepared by Utah State Legislative members. The Public voted for an independent redistricting committee and all proposed maps to be considered should be prepared by that committee!
Jeffrey Walker
Honor the will of the people of Utah and give us fair maps.
Lura Dulaney Snow
Why don't we just use the maps recommended by the independent committee created specifically to create fair districts in Utah so that EVERYONE can have representation? What you are doing is in blatant disregard of what Utahns want.
Benjamin Wu
The committee is virtually exclusively using the Partisan Symmetry Test to create these maps under the guise that it is the norm for creating unbiased maps. This is blatantly deceptive to anyone who takes 10 minutes to do some research on the test (how it works here: https://www.utahpoliticalwatch.news/utah-republicans-drop-a-redistricting-poison-pill/). The Partisan Symmetry Test is INHERENTLY BIASED for states that historically elect a particular majority party; the test methods literally give the majority party significant advantage points and the minority party significant disadvantage points, which ultimately perpetuates the status quo of past elections. The Partisan Symmetry Test IS a good test for historically battleground states, which Utah has not been historically. I'd be less insulted if the committee just said, "We know this is wrong, but we're doing it anyways." instead of trying to pull this one over on us.
Nicole Kunz
Utahns demanded fair maps in 2018. Instead, we got politicians dragging their feet, telling us they’re redrawing ‘under protest’ only because the Supreme Court made them. We deserve independent maps that reflect our communities which is what we voted for.
Danya Gorel
I am strongly opposed to Senator Brammer’s “partisan bias test” and the proposed congressional maps. These maps are designed to protect partisan advantage, not voters. The bill bakes in Republican wins, sets an impossible standard, and overrides Proposition 4—undermining fair representation for both urban and rural Utahns.
Fair maps matter because they determine who will:
Protect our air and water
Fight for health equity and sustainable energy
Safeguard public lands
Please reject this bill and ensure maps are drawn fairly, keeping communities together and letting voters—not politicians—choose their representatives. I urge committee members to listen to public input, apply multiple fairness tests as required by Proposition 4, and draw maps that truly reflect the needs of all Utahns.
Danya Gorel
I am strongly opposed to Senator Brammer’s “partisan bias test” and the proposed congressional maps. These maps are designed to protect partisan advantage, not voters. The bill bakes in Republican wins, sets an impossible standard, and overrides Proposition 4—undermining fair representation for both urban and rural Utahns.
Fair maps matter because they determine who will:
Protect our air and water
Fight for health equity and sustainable energy
Safeguard public lands
Please reject this bill and ensure maps are drawn fairly, keeping communities together and letting voters—not politicians—choose their representatives. I urge committee members to listen to public input, apply multiple fairness tests as required by Proposition 4, and draw maps that truly reflect the needs of all Utahns.
Danya Gorel
I am strongly opposed to Senator Brammer’s “partisan bias test” and the proposed congressional maps. These maps are designed to protect partisan advantage, not voters. The bill bakes in Republican wins, sets an impossible standard, and overrides Proposition 4—undermining fair representation for both urban and rural Utahns.
Fair maps matter because they determine who will:
Protect our air and water
Fight for health equity and sustainable energy
Safeguard public lands
Please reject this bill and ensure maps are drawn fairly, keeping communities together and letting voters—not politicians—choose their representatives. I urge committee members to listen to public input, apply multiple fairness tests as required by Proposition 4, and draw maps that truly reflect the needs of all Utahns.
Danya Gorel
I am strongly opposed to Senator Brammer’s “partisan bias test” and the proposed congressional maps. These maps are designed to protect partisan advantage, not voters. The bill bakes in Republican wins, sets an impossible standard, and overrides Proposition 4—undermining fair representation for both urban and rural Utahns.
Fair maps matter because they determine who will:
Protect our air and water
Fight for health equity and sustainable energy
Safeguard public lands
Please reject this bill and ensure maps are drawn fairly, keeping communities together and letting voters—not politicians—choose their representatives. I urge committee members to listen to public input, apply multiple fairness tests as required by Proposition 4, and draw maps that truly reflect the needs of all Utahns.
Jason Peacock
This map is another example of how the majority party members on the IC are incapable of creating a maps that keep SLC, and SL County intact. The public maps provide a pathway forward with giving SLC and SL Country residents a voice in congress. Hard pass on this map.
Devon M Butler
All maps must follow Porp 4 Period.
Maintain equal population in districts and
comply with the Voting Rights Act
Don’t split municipalities unless absolutely
Avoid sprawling or irregularly shaped districts
Paul Hepworth
(This is the written version of the comment I tried to make in the November 8 meeting, which was stopped by Co-chair Sandall. While I don't approve of the chair shutting down a public comment based on its content, time was limited, and many were waiting to comment. (My comment was germane: it was responsive to comment introduced by Rep. Nelson (I think it was) during committee discussion of the congressional map, *which Co-chair Sandall ruled was germane*.) Still, the Co-chair got deference for trying to move things along. As time is no longer a factor, the full (and reasonably short) comment appears below.)
During committee discussion of the congressional map, it was stated that the commission created as a result of the 2018 proposition 4 was merely advisory (or at least ended up that way). I'd like to highlight 2 of the important differences between what the voters passed and the watered-down version we got in 2020.
1) the legislature was required to follow the same guidelines as the commission, including not favoring a party or candidate
2) if the legislature didn't follow the guidelines, every Utah resident could hold them accountable and block the adoption of a non-conformant map
That's what the voters asked for. You would honor the voters by abiding by that. You dishonor them if you adopt a map that unduly favors or disfavors incumbents or party.
This is particularly egregious for the state house map, because it interferes with the voters' ability to hold the current legislators accountable for the redistricting action, because a different set of voters than those who elected them will be voting in their re-election.
Christian Weaver
I urge everyone in the Utah legislature to reject extreme partisanship and adopt maps provided by the UIRC. By honoring the will of the people of Utah and embracing a spirit of fair play, we can show the country how a healthy democracy functions. This is an extraordinary opportunity to show real moral leadership and reject toxic, self serving and self defeating politics.
Bryce Ellsworth Wargin
How am I in the same house district as Leeds, but not Hurricane? Weird looking district
Janene S Bowen
With all due respect, you can’t be serious. The Independent Redistricting Commission did an excellent job. They were transparent and sought public input both online and by traveling throughout the state to gather local concerns regarding communities of interest. They produced multiple maps based upon standards from criteria outlined for them under Utah Code Chapter 20A-20-301, Section (5), which include, for brevity’ sake: (a) preserving communities of interest and (d) minimizing the divisions of municipalities and counties across multiple districts. The Independent Redistricting Commission showed this can be done. Their maps represent the desire of the people. If you believe in democracy, not just what you can get away with, you’ll choose from among their maps. Yours are a mockery. It looks like the priority of your congressional map was (1) to separate the towns and cities in Salt Lake County, which have overlapping concerns related to transportation, county recreation, economy, and air quality, into four different congressional districts (sometimes even dividing individual towns to achieve this effect) and then (2) to dump them on the remaining rural and other urban areas, diluting everyone’s community of interest voice, without respect for regional concerns. This result is exactly why Utahns approved Proposition 4.
Another nod to the glitchiness of this website, which didn't include these comments when uploaded as a file with my previous comment.
Janene S Bowen
I was one of the citizens who tried to comment yesterday multiple times using this website, which according to news reports ceased to function yesterday because of the number of people trying to post comments. Just more evidence that the legislature's process--a Friday night release of the legislative maps, less than 3-day window and over a weekend to respond before the single public input meeting--was as flawed as the congressional maps the legislature created.
David Harvey
Utah legislators: please find some character and ignore this clearly partisan effort to gerrymander a large portion of Utah voters out of their voice. You will be remembered for doing the right thing and resisting the angry devisive, partisan politics.
Ana Strutt
The people of Utah voted for an INDEPENDENT redistricting commission because we knew the legislature would gerrymander for their own benefit not for the benefit of the people of Utah. This map is a disgrace and disenfranchises a large percentage of Utahs. Just because we don't live in rural Utah does not mean our voices should not be heard. We told you what we wanted. You are not listening!!!
Rebecca Blommer
Shame on you for voting for this obvious power-grab. When you blatantly ignore the will of the people you will be voted out of office. This committee is a disgrace.
Daniel Hyer
This map just creates confusion for voters in the area where I live. You have split up my community (the greater Park City/Snyderville Basin area) amongst three different districts. This means that during election season (as happens currently) I often see campaign signs for the candidates running in the district down the street. Why not adopt the maps provided by the Independent Commission? You know, the commission that a majority of Utahns voted for? This is a disgrace.
Mark White
Your constituents voted for independent redistricting. An independent commission provided a fair proposal. Instead, as is becoming all too common, you spurned the voice of the people and created a gerrymandered sham proposal to support your aims and maintain your power. We will remember this in 2022.
Amanda Donohue-Hansen
Redistricting should be left to an independent commission that is not subject to the whims of whatever political party is in power. The citizens of Utah voted to create and fund an independent commission for this very purpose and these maps are subverting the will and mandate of the people.
Rachel Fixsen
Why is Emery County split like this? It seems more logical to adjust the population of district 69 and 67 by shifting the northern boundary in Duchesne County, which is already split anyway, and keep Emery County together.
Joel Barber
Please respect the will of the *majority* of Utah voters who enacted the independent redistricting commission, and use one of the maps the commission suggested. Thanks.
Deanne Shields
Please use the independent redistricting committee’s maps! I no longer have a representative at the state level so this is the only way I can give my comments on this process.
Deanne Shields
Why is Springville once again, split into two districts? District 63 is part of Springville, Mapleton and some of the county?
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