Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Utah Eliminate the Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative (2026)
Utah Eliminate the Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Election date November 3, 2026 | |
Topic Redistricting policy | |
Status Pending official review | |
Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Utah Eliminate the Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative may appear on the ballot in Utah as an indirect initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.
The initiative would repeal Proposition 4, which passed in 2018, thereby eliminating the seven-member non-politician redistricting commission known as the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission.[1][2]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the ballot initiative is below, with the struck-through text being removed:[1]
Path to the ballot
Process in Utah
An indirect initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are nine (9) states that allow citizens to initiate indirect state statutes.
While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators have a certain number of days, depending on the state, to adopt the initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.
In Utah, the number of required signatures is tied to the number of active voters as of January 1 following the most recent regular general election. For indirectly initiated statutes, proponents must get 4 percent of this number to qualify the initiative to go before the legislature, and an additional 4 percent to qualify for the ballot if the legislature does not approve the initiative. For indirect initiatives, signatures must be collected from each of at least 26 of the 29 Utah State Senate districts equal to 4 percent of the active voter count. If a second round of signatures is collected, the signatures as a whole, equaling 8 percent of active voters, are subject to the requirement for direct initiatives. Signatures for indirect initiatives to be presented to the legislature must be submitted by November 15th before the next general legislative session.
The requirements to get an indirectly initiated state statute certified for the 2026 ballot:
- Signatures (first round): 70,374 valid signatures
- Signatures (second round): 70,374 valid signatures
- Deadline (first round): The deadline to submit signatures for the first round is November 15, 2025.
- Deadline (second round): The deadline to submit signatures for the second round is February 15, 2026. Each initiative also has an initiative-specific deadline 316 days following the initial application.
Stages of this ballot initiative
The following is the timeline of the initiative:[2]
- October 14, 2025: The initiative was filed by Robert Axson, chairperson of the Utah Republican Party, and is pending official review by the secretary of state.[3]
How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Utah
See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Utah.
See also
View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in Utah.
Explore Utah's ballot measure history, including citizen-initiated ballot measures.
Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Utah Secretary of State's Office, "Full text," accessed October 16, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Utah Secretary of State's Office, "List of petitions," accessed October 16, 2025
- ↑ Utah attorney general backs GOP initiative to repeal redistricting laws, "DeseretNews," accessed October 16, 2025]
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-1-302. Opening and closing of polls on election day.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-2-101. Eligibility for registration.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Utah Lieutenant Governor, “Welcome to the Utah Voter Registration Website,” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Utah State Legislature, “20A-2-207. Registration by provisional ballot.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-2-401. Fraudulent registration -- Penalty.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Utah State Legislature, "Utah Code 20A-1-102. Definitions." accessed October 9, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.