Redistricting in Utah after the 2010 census

in Utah

Fiscal Budgets Utah state budget and finances Tax policy in Utah Finance Financial regulation in Utah Pensions Public pensions in Utah Pension health in Utah Civil liberties Affirmative action in Utah Campaign finance requirements in Utah Campaign finance requirements for Utah ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in Utah Education Charter schools in Utah Higher education in Utah Public education in Utah School choice in Utah Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Utah Ballot access requirements for political parties in Utah Political parties in Utah Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Utah Redistricting in Utah Voting in Utah Energy and Environment Energy policy in Utah Fracking in Utah Oil and gas extraction on federal land in Utah Endangered species in Utah Environmental policy in Utah Healthcare Healthcare policy in Utah Medicaid spending in Utah Effect of the Affordable Care Act in Utah Immigration Immigration in Utah

Redistricting in Utah

General information

Partisan control: Republican

Process: Senate Redistricting Committee

Deadline: -

Total seats

Congress: 4

State Senate: 29

State House: 75

This article details the timeline of redistricting events in Utah following the 2010 census. It also provides contextual information about the redistricting process and census information.

Process[edit]

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

During the 2010 redistricting cycle, the Utah State Legislature was responsible for redistricting. Redistricting plans were proposed and passed like ordinary legislation. As such, the Governor of Utah had the authority to veto any redistricting plan.^[1] The Joint Redistricting Committee planned to have final maps ready by September 10, 2011, in advance of the special session planned for the second week of October.^[2]

The Utah Constitution provided authority to the Legislature for Congressional redistricting in Section 1 of Article IX and for legislative redistricting in Section 2 of Article IX.

Leadership[edit]

In Utah, the Joint Redistricting Committee of the Utah Legislature drafted district boundaries. That committee, selected by Speaker of the House Rebecca Lockhart and Senate President Michael Waddoups in April 2011, held 18 hearings around the state. In the fall the legislature convened in a special session to pass the new maps.^[3]

The following committee members were announced on April 6:^[4]

Three of these members, Biskupski, Waddoups, and Davis, also sat on the 2001 committee.^[7]

Two sets of software were debuted for the redistricting work, one for legislators and one free version for citizens to draft their own maps, something designed to make it easier for citizens to propose boundaries.^[8][9]

The state maintained two websites for citizens concerning redistricting: the official legislative site and an informational site called Redistrict Utah.^[10]

Public hearings[edit]

The committee completed its schedule of 17 public hearings around the state and was expected to adopt a final plan in September 2011. The legislature was expected to take up the plans in October 2011.^[11] Audio and minutes from the Joint Redistricting Committee's public hearings can be found here.

Census results[edit]

With the February 24th 2011, release of summary data for Utah, the state's decade of growth was put into numbers. Salt Lake City's population grew 14.6%. Utah County recorded 40.2% growth while Washington County recorded 52.9% growth. The fastest growing part of Utah, suburban Wasatch County, grew 55%.^[12] In all, Utah's 23.6% population gain was enough to add a Congressional seat.

Hispanics in Utah increased 78%; the group represented 13% of the state's residents. Minorities saw most of their gain in the under-18 demographic. That lined up with the rest of the data, showing the 70% of Utah's population increase owed to the birthrate.^[13]

Congressional redistricting[edit]

Figure 1: This map shows Utah's Congressional Districts after the 2000 census.

May 2011: Sumsion presents draft map[edit]

At the first public meeting, held May 20, 2011 in Lehi, Kenneth Sumsion, a Republican member of the House, presented a draft of his Congressional map, one that used the donut hole method of drawing three seats spanning the state and surrounding the last seat, which covered most of the Salt Lake City area.^[14]

June 2011: Waddoups offers draft map[edit]

After criticizing the donut hole map offered by Sumsion in May, Senate President Michael Waddoups (R) offered his own version of a donut hole map.^[15][16]

August 2011: Meetings end, submissions reviewed[edit]

On August 19, 2011, the Utah legislative redistricting committee met to review plans submitted during the state’s public input period. The committee completed its schedule of 17 public hearings around the state and was expected to adopt a final plan in September 2011. The legislature expected to take up the plans in October. The fate of Utah County remained central to the debate on the maps. While locals called for their own Congressional district, the Republican legislative majority seemed unsure on creating a Democrat-leaning Utah County district.^[17]

September 2011: Draft maps whittled down[edit]

Utah’s Redistricting Committee met September 22, 2011, to narrow down its options on new maps for the state’s congressional Districts. The committee ultimately selected six plans for further consideration on September 27, 2011. Five of the six plans were pizzas, dividing the Democratic urban center of Salt Lake City among the surrounding, largely rural districts. This plan was opposed by Salt Lake County lawmakers, but supported by some lawmakers from neighboring Utah County. Only one of the plans was a doughnut hole, the plan favored by Democrats and several redistricting reform groups. This plan would have given Salt Lake City its own congressional district. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (D), a supporter of the plan, urged voters to sign a petition supporting districts that preserve communities and neighborhoods.^{[18][19][20][21]}

• The six maps under consideration can be found here.

September 2011: Committee recommends map[edit]

On September 27, 2011, Utah's Joint Redistricting Committee adopted a modified doughnut hole proposal for the state's congressional districts. The plan, a modified version of the Sumsion plan proposed earlier in the year, drew the new Fourth District to include the western half of Republican-heavy Utah County and the southern half of Salt Lake County. The remainder of Salt Lake County was split into two districts. Salt Lake City, kept intact under the plan, was paired with Tooele County in a district stretching to San Juan County and covering the state's entire south. The southeastern part of Salt Lake County and the eastern portion of Utah County were paired in the Second District, now stretching south to Grand County.

Democrats, who had called for a Salt Lake City-centered district, criticized the maps. Utah Democratic Party Chair Jim Dabakis said the map disenfranchised Democratic voters. Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Bishop called the map deeply saddening.^{[22][23][24][25]}

On September 28, the |governor formally called a special session for October 3. The session was expected to last around three days.^[26][27]

• The recommended map can be found here.

October 2011: Special session deadlocks, adjourns to Oct. 17[edit]

On October 4, 2011, the House and Senate deadlocked over the state's new congressional districts. On October 3, 2011, the Senate passed the maps recommended by the Joint Redistricting Committee. House Republicans attempted to make revisions to the plan. Senate Republicans threw their support behind a compromise plan drafted by Democratic Se. Ben McAdams. House Republicans pushed for an alternative plan drafted by Rep. Don Ipson (R). Democrats voiced support for the McAdams plan, agreeing not to sue if it was adopted. Citing a need for more time, the legislature recessed until October 17.^[28] Prior to the special session, Waddoups said that committee's proposed plans had a 98% chance of passage.^[29] Critics of the process protested outside the Capitol, arguing that the committee's version of the doughnut-hole did not go far enough in fairly representing urban interests.^[30]

October 2011: Congressional maps approved[edit]

On October 17, 2011, House and Senate Republicans reached a compromise on the state's congressional redistricting plan. The approved map, passed 50-19 in the House and 20-5 in the Senate, was a modified version of the plan previously passed by the Joint Redistricting Committee and the State Senate. The modified version was prepared by the House after its earlier proposal was rejected by the Senate.^[31][32]

October 2011: Governor signs maps[edit]

Gary Herbert (R) signed the congressional maps on October 20, 2011.^[33]

Legislative redistricting[edit]

July 2011: Republicans compile draft map for State House[edit]

After circulating several regional maps, the legislative Republicans combined the maps into a single draft map for the Utah House of Representatives. The plan, which laid out boundaries for Utah's 75 house districts, paired a number of incumbents. In this initial form, the map contained three districts where Democrats were paired together, three districts that paired Republicans, and one district with a bipartisan match-up.^[34][35]

August 2011: Meetings end, submissions reviewed[edit]

On August 19, 2011, the Utah legislative redistricting committee met to review plans submitted during the state’s public input period. The fate of Utah County remained central to the debate on the maps. The county grew by 40% since 2001 and could in theory warrant two additional house districts (14 total) and two additional senate districts (five total). One plan, submitted by Kay McIff (R), would only give the county one extra seat (13 total). Sumsion seemed to back a 14-member plan. The committee completed its schedule of 17 public hearings around the state and was expected to adopt a final plan in September. The legislature expected to take up the plans in October.^[36][37]

August 2011: Special session announced[edit]

On August 31, 2011, Gov. Gary Herbert (R) announced an October 3 special session to address state redistricting. The legislature's redistricting committee met three times in advance of the session.^[38][39]

At the outset, Republican Kenneth Sumsion, the House's Chair, announced the matter of maps for the House and Senate would be a gentleman's agreement.^[40] The panel's first move was to adopt guidelines, which they did on May 4. Democrats pushed for recognition and protection of communities of interest and for considering the possibility of multi-representative districts. Both ideas were declined by the Republican majority.^[41]

Assessing the minority party's chances of impacting the process, one political scientist observed that the largest opposition to the Utah Republican Party was the Tea Party wing of the Utah Republican Party and said Democrats had no chance at getting fair representation.^[42] Democrats resisted the idea that losing safe seats was a foregone conclusion, announcing they would fight any such configuration. They went further to say that, as the minority party, fairness actually demanded they gain safe seats.^[43]

September 2011: Committee approves preliminary maps[edit]

On September 13, 2011, Utah's Joint Redistricting Committee approved preliminary plans for the state's house and senate districts. The plan paired 12 incumbents: 10 representatives and two senators. The maps showed a transfer of seats from Salt Lake County to faster-growing Utah County. Salt Lake County lost one Senate seat, and two House seats. Utah County gained one Senate seat and one and a half House seats. Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis criticized the senate plan, calling it a disaster.^{[44][45][46][47][48]}

• The preliminary maps can be found here.

October 2011: Legislative maps approved[edit]

Lawmakers passed the committee’s legislative redistricting plans (with modifications) prior to the recess. Both plans received bipartisan support. The Senate plan passed 25-1 in the Senate and 60-9 in the House. The House plan passed 26-1 in the Senate and 71-1 in the House.^[49][50][51]

• The approved Senate map can be found here.

• The committee-adopted Senate map can be found here.

• The approved House map can be found here.

• The committee-adopted House map can be found here.

October 2011: Governor signs maps[edit]

Gary Herbert (R) signed the legislative maps on October 19, 2011.^[52]

January 2012: Tweaks approved[edit]

On January 26, 2012 Utah lawmakers from both chambers unanimously approved revisions to the state's legislative maps. The revisions addressed errors discovered by several county clerks.^[53]

History[edit]

Figure 2: This map shows Utah's House Districts after the 2000 census.

Figure 3: This map shows Utah's Senate Districts after the 2000 census.

2001 redistricting[edit]

Deviation from Ideal Districts[edit]

Ballot measures[edit]

The following measures have appeared on the Utah ballot pertaining to redistricting.

• Utah Legislative Redistricting Requirement, Amendment D (2008) a
• Utah Redistricting Commission (2010), did not appear on the ballot due to insufficient signatures.

See also[edit]

• State Legislative and Congressional Redistricting after the 2010 Census
• State-by-state redistricting procedures

External links[edit]

• U.S. Census data for Utah

• Utah State Senate leadership discusses redistricting at the start of March 2011

• Former Senate Minority Leader Scott Howell's April 28, 2011 interview with Utah Policy

• Redistrict Utah, State Redistricting Site (public redistricting software here)

• Speak Up Utah

Footnotes[edit]

v • e Redistricting after the 2010 census State-by-state Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Overviews State legislative and congressional redistricting • State legislative redistricting maps • Redistricting deadlines • Redistricting timelines • Status of redistricting maps • Redistricting lawsuits • Partisan balance of redistricting committees

v • e Election policy Voting policy Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for state and federal candidates Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Redistricting Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming