The ruling aligned with public opinion as well, according to the conservative Sutherland Policy Institute, which found that 85% of registered Utah voters support involving an independent commission in redistricting. “Salt Lake county was chopped into pieces,” said Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah. After the district court ruling last year, Utah’s Republican leadership quickly rejected the decision. In late January, Utah Republicans passed legislation adding two seats to the state’s supreme court. Biele, of the League of Women Voters of Utah, sharply criticized Republican lawmakers, calling the move an abuse of power.

Source: The Guardian March 10, 2026 17:40 UTC