Scarcely three months have passed since the Utah Supreme Court issued its decision in League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature. Over the course of that short period, many divergent opinions have been shared on the subject, the most forceful coming directly from the Legislature in the form of Amendment D, which was recently […]
Ballot Initiatives Are A Constitutional Right Read More »
It’s with a shared sense of conviction that I hear Utahns, including myself, contend that our state is turning purple with each election. A pat on the back, a smile exchanged as we assure ourselves our state is one shifting in the favor of progress, one that is learning to reflect the interests and politics
Utahns deserve to have a voice in redistricting process Read More »
Every ten years, the lines for our voting districts are drawn. Depending on how the maps are made, the lines can strengthen or separate a community. When a community is sliced apart, their voices are minimized, and elected officials have no incentive to listen to them. A community that is kept together can advocate for
How do we get fair districts and keep communities together? Read More »
After 45 days of an intense legislative session, I think many of us can agree that it feels more like we’ve aged a few years. These seven weeks brought both the highs that reinvigorated our passion for the issues we fight for, as well as the humbling lows that on some days, brought us to
45 days of intensity Read More »
PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2020 Salt Lake City, UT – Today, S.B. 200, Redistricting Amendments, passed the House with only four nay votes. Lauren Simpson, policy director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement: “We always appreciate bipartisan collaboration on the Hill, and we are grateful for the efforts of
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This article originally appeared in the Deseret News. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Legislature has officially signed off on a deal struck between lawmakers and backers of a voter-approved citizens initiative creating an independent redistricting commission to recommend new legislative, congressional and State School Board boundaries following the census every decade. The Utah House of Representatives on Wednesday voted
Utah Legislature approves Better Boundaries deal Read More »
This article originally appeared in the Washington Post. Read it in its entirety here. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — With the census approaching, lawmakers in some states are attempting to alter recent voter-approved measures that were intended to reduce partisan gamesmanship when drawing new voting districts for the U.S. House and state legislatures. In Missouri and
Lawmakers try to alter voter-approved redistricting reforms Read More »
This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Read it in its entirety here. A proposed rewrite of the state’s anti-gerrymandering law glided through the Utah Senate on Tuesday, leaving in the rearview the tense negotiations that forged it. “Well, senators, this is the bill that was so controversial, you’ll you see the galleries
Anti-gerrymandering compromise garners unanimous support from Utah Senate Read More »
PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2020 Salt Lake City, UT – Today, lawmakers and Better Boundaries came to a compromise on the Prop 4 replacement bill. Chase Thomas, executive director of Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement: “A majority of Utahns passed Proposition 4 to prevent gerrymandering in our state. With
Press Release: Alliance for a Better Utah statement on Prop 4 compromise Read More »
This article originally appeared in the Deseret News. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — A deal has been struck between lawmakers and backers of a voter-approved citizens initiative creating an independent redistricting commission to recommend new legislative, congressional and State School Board boundaries following the census every decade. “We have a deal in principle,” said Rebecca Chavez-Houck, a former Democratic state representative
Deal reached between lawmakers, Better Boundaries on redistricting Read More »