It’s Now or Never: Why Utah Conservatives MUST Sign to Repeal Prop 4

If you haven’t yet signed the initiative to repeal Prop 4: the time is now. 

Signature gatherers have until February 15th to obtain the required 140,000 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. If they achieve their goal, then Utah voters will be able to determine the future of their state in the election this November. If they fail, however, Utah’s new congressional map will certainly stick, leaving Utah with one of the most progressive House districts in the country. 

The initiative to repeal Utah’s Proposition 4 began after an activist judge used her position to implement a new congressional map, circumventing legislative approval. The selected map was one of two drawn by the self-described “nonpartisan” activist group Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG), and it redefines the boundaries of Utah’s congressional districts so as to create a district that will almost certainly elect a Democrat representative. The argument that the judge used to rule in favor of the MWEG map was that the existing congressional map violated redistricting guidelines as outlined in Prop 4, which was voted into law via ballot initiative in 2018. After the ruling, Utah Republicans jumped into action and began gathering signatures for a new ballot initiative– this time, to repeal Prop 4. 

The effort to repeal Prop 4 has been highly contentious, with signature gatherers facing violence and assault, accusations of fraud, and a tight deadline. Much of this contention stems from how much is on the line here– Utah’s new district is a part of the ongoing national redistricting race between Republicans and Democrats as they try to guarantee as many seats as possible in the House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. If Democrats regain control of the House after the midterms, much of Trump and the GOP’s agenda will come grinding to a halt as they face gridlock, legal warfare, and certain impeachment attempts. The direction of the remainder of Trump’s second term will be determined by the composition of the House following the midterms.

These short-term effects are only a fraction of what’s at risk if Prop 4 is not overturned. A new Democratic House seat in Utah will embolden the local Democratic Party and bring more left-wing funding and activism into the state. Furthermore, if the next two years of Trump’s term go to waste due to congressional gridlock, Democrats are likely to take back the presidency in 2028. If that happens, we shouldn’t expect them to pull any punches with the political prosecution of their enemies– we saw under Biden just a glimpse of how far the left is willing to go in this regard.

To get the repeal of Prop 4 on the ballot this November, the required amount of signatures must be gathered by February 15th. If conservatives fail to act now, the opportunity will be gone. While lawmakers may try to appeal the judge’s decision separately, signing the petition is the only way to guarantee a shot at overturning Prop 4. Even if you’re on the fence, it wouldn’t hurt to sign so you can have the choice to vote on the measure in the general election. 

Utah’s citizens and lawmakers alike should strive to hold our institutions accountable, and that includes taking action to restrain our judges when they engage in judicial activism. Signing the initiative to repeal Prop 4 does just that, and sends a message that Utah’s people are in charge of its future– not activist judges, not corrupt institutions, and not partisan interest groups.

The petition must be signed in person. A full schedule of signing events and locations is available at https://www.ufrg.org/calendar.

Cover Photo Source: https://www.kgun9.com/politics/judge-orders-utah-to-redraw-its-congressional-map-by-sept-24