Press Release: ERN Statement Commending Decision by the Utah Supreme Court

Today, the Utah Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling that will likely restore the Independent Redistricting Commission and the prohibition on partisan gerrymandering approved by Utah voters in 2018. These critical reforms were enacted through Utah’s initiative process, but repealed soon after by the state legislature. The ruling is an important win for fair redistricting and for protecting citizen-led ballot initiatives.  

Writing on behalf the unanimous Court, Justice Paige Peterson, declared: “We hold that when Utahns exercise their right to reform the government through a citizen initiative, their exercise of these rights is protected from government infringement.”  

“The citizen initiative process is an important path to good government reform in so many states,” said Kevin Johnson, Executive Director of Election Reformers Network. “We commend the Utah Supreme Court for reaffirming the state constitutional right of the people to reform their government free from government or legislative interference.”

This win for Utah voters is due in part to the tireless advocacy of Better Boundaries Utah, who were instrumental in the creation of the commission in 2018 and have fought for its protection ever since. Election Reformers Network (ERN) has long supported redistricting reform in Utah and other states and is leading an effort in several states to protect citizens’ ballot initiatives against partisan interference.  

ABOUT ERN

Election Reformers Network advances election innovations that protect democracy from polarization. Favoring neither the left nor the right, ERN advances policy change to ensure the institutions running U.S. elections are as impartial as possible.

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