The comment period for the newly proposed congressional maps is open and there are two days left to provide feedback. You can submit your comments at www.redistricting.utah.gov. The website is not the most intuitive, but this little step-by-step guide will get you through it:
- Visit redistricting.utah.gov
- Select the “Congress” tab near the top left
- Click “open” in the right-hand column on any maps you’d like to view
- A note: the legislature will only consider and vote on map options 233-237 (titled Options A-E), so I recommend you focus your comments on these maps
- Once you’ve selected a map, click “add comment” in the upper righthand corner, then click anywhere on the map to comment. There will be an option to indicate where you support, oppose, or are neutral on the map in question. Select your choice, then leave a detailed comment in the text box below.
If you’re curious about the political makeup each of these maps, the Salt Lake Tribune has a breakdown here.
I hope you’ll take the time to review the proposed maps and make your voice heard. Our community — Senate District 14 — has been impacted more significantly than any other. The current congressional maps have split our community four different ways, diluting our political power and leaving us without real representation in Washington, D.C. Fair maps help us hold our elected officials accountable and ensure every Utahn has a voice at the table.
Special Session on Monday
On Monday, October 6th, the Utah legislature will convene for a special session, where we’ll vote on the final map. There are a number of other bills on the special session agenda, also, including a bill by Sen. Brady Brammer, SB1011, which would establish a statistical method to evaluate future redistricting plans. If approved, it would mean that future congressional maps would need to pass a “partisan bias test” that evaluates “partisan symmetry.” Maps would pass the “partisan symmetry” test if the same statewide vote percentage translates to the same percentage of seats for either party.
I strongly oppose SB1011 as it undermines the tenants of Proposition 4 (the citizen initiative creating an Independent Redistricting Commission) and threatens the fair process voters put in place in 2018. Our community voted overwhelmingly for a process where districts are drawn with transparency, accountability, and respect for communities. We rejected the partisan map-drawing that lead to our current congressional map, and which splits Senate District 14 into four different congressional districts. I will do everything possible to oppose SB1011.
The remaining proposed bills can be found here.
After the Legislature Votes on a Map, What’s Next?
Once the legislature votes on a map, it will then be submitted to the Court and court proceedings will move forward. The remaining deadlines are as follows:
- Oct. 6 (9:00 a.m.): Special Session – final vote on map
- Legislature’s final vote and submission of approved map to the Court
- Plaintiffs’ deadline to submit proposed map to the Court
- Oct. 17: Parties file briefs, expert reports and related materials (if necessary)
- Oct. 23–24: Evidentiary hearing (if necessary)
- Oct. 28: Parties file proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law (if necessary)
I encourage you to continue to stay engaged as this process moves forward. Your voice and input are critical in the fight for fair political boundaries and fair representation for all of us.
Best,
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher