News

Actions

Independent redistricting appears to have qualified for the November ballot

Posted at 3:22 PM, May 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-10 21:20:00-04

SALT LAKE CITY — Better Boundaries, the citizen ballot initiative that would create an independent redistricting commission, appears to have qualified for the November ballot.

A FOX 13 analysis of validated signature counts shows the initiative has met the signature threshold in 26 of the Utah Senate districts needed to qualify.  Better Boundaries received 149,787 signatures.

“We are pleased with the preliminary reports from the county clerks, and we look forward to official certification from the Lt. Governor’s office,” Catherine Kanter, the campaign manager for Better Boundaries, told FOX 13 on Thursday.

The initiative would create an independent commission to re-draw congressional and legislative boundaries. Critics of the current boundaries argue they are gerrymandered to favor one political party over another.

Based on the FOX 13 analysis of signature counts posted by the Utah Lt. Governor’s Office, all four of the ballot initiatives have qualified. Medical marijuana, Medicaid expansion and direct primary initiatives have all met the signature thresholds to get before voters in November.