The Uintah County and Duchesne County Republican Parties spent time gathering signatures over the weekend as the party’s statewide effort to put Proposition 4 back on the ballot continues. A small group of protesters showed up at both locations initially harassing those signing with aggressive comments. In Vernal, police were called and separated them from the private property to the sidewalk. In Roosevelt, they brought a sound system aiming the speakers toward those participating in the petition drive. Total signatures gathered in both locations exceeded 800 which was more than the original goal. Statewide, the Republican Party needs 140,748 total signatures by February 14th. Proposition 4 passed by a narrow margin in 2018, establishing the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission to review the state’s congressional districts following each Census and potentially submitting up to three map options to the state legislature based on the Census data. In 2020, the legislature made amendments to Proposition 4 that they may adopt a map submitted by the committee but would not be required to and in 2021 put a new congressional map into place. In 2022, a civil rights complaint was filed against the legislature by liberal groups and the case was assigned to Judge Dianna Gibson of the Third Judicial District. In 2025, the back and forth in court came to a head and Judge Gibson ruled in August that the 2021 map be tossed out and required legislature to draw new maps satisfying Prop 4 requirements. By the end of September, the legislature provided 5 maps to choose from and on October 6th, a special legislative session was held and approved Map C of the options. In November, Judge Gibson threw out Map C and selected the Plaintiff’s Map 1, launching a new firestorm of opposition and back and forth in the courts that still continues. In October, the Utah Republican Party filed to run a referendum to repeal Proposition 4 and then ultimately a ballot initiative to send Proposition 4 back to the voters to decide in November 2026. To add your signature to the effort to put Proposition 4 on the 2026 election ballot, you can visit Brian Gorum State Farm Insurance in Vernal and Vengeance Power Sports and Paragon Oilfield Products, both in Roosevelt.
