A three-judge panel declined to block Utah's new congressional map on Monday, ruling that Republicans' challenge to the court-ordered district lines was unlikely to succeed and that it was too close to the election to change the map.
The map puts most of Salt Lake City into one district, making it likely Democrats will pick up a House seat.
The Republican plaintiffs had argued that the state judge violated the U.S. Constitution in implementing the current map. They had sought a preliminary injunction, which would have blocked the map from being used before this year's midterm elections, when control of the House is at stake. But the federal court concluded the case was not likely to succeed on its merits as the judges believed that the state court had not erred in removing the map and implementing another.
The state court implemented the map after ruling that the GOP-controlled Legislature had improperly ignored redistricting guidelines in the state’s Constitution with their map. Republican lawmakers fought to split the state’s blue-leaning urban area into multiple districts, which would have preserved the state’s all-GOP congressional delegation.
Though the ruling could be appealed, the state’s top election official, Republican Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, has said the final map for the 2026 election must be in place by Monday. Congressional candidates in Utah must file to run for office by March 13.
The Utah Supreme Court rejected a separate challenge from Republicans to the map on Friday, concluding they did not have jurisdiction.
The legal battle in Utah comes amid a broader redistricting arms race taking place across the country, initially sparked by President Donald Trump urging GOP-led states to redraw their maps. Utah is one of six states that enacted new congressional boundaries last year, while there are efforts underway in Virginia and Florida to get new maps on the books for this year's elections.
