Source: Utah Independent Redistricting Commission
Yesterday the Utah House and Senate discarded the fair and transparent Independent Redistricting Commission maps and instead passed the redistricting maps created by the Legislative Redistricting Committee. We are concerned that what we have just witnessed, especially with regards to the congressional map, is a clear attempt by legislators to exercise undue influence over voters, doing so in a way that does not engender trust in processes or follow standards of transparency. We recognize that these maps have passed with a veto proof majority, but the governor has not only refused to speak in defense of the people of Utah, he has justified his disengagement by claiming he is doing so to keep the peace.
A significant portion of our work at Mormon Women for Ethical Government is done with the aim of creating true peace — peace that is grounded in justice and the recognition that a good, democratic government requires leaders who act to protect all citizens equally. As is clearly stated in our third principle of peacemaking: “[W]e boldly reject and oppose any attempt to use power or authority for the purposes of self-interest, justification of evil, or exercising unrighteous dominion or compulsion over others. We seek to dismantle all such corruption and the injustices which it perpetuates.”
In his comments, Governor Cox has shifted the burden of accountability to the voters of Utah while simultaneously siding with those who would make it even more difficult for voters to hold their leaders accountable. Gerrymandered districts are not a problem the voters created, and it is not fair to imply that they have the responsibility to remediate that problem, particularly given that the voters, via proposition, voted clearly to have districts created by an impartial body.
It is never going to get easier to draw fair maps. Utah is changing, and gerrymandered districts will cause more and more harm with every passing year. The stakes for those in power will only grow, as will the temptation to continue to use improper mechanisms to keep power.
We invite the governor to consider a different framing of a veto. The governor himself acknowledged that the congressional map was partisan. But rather than framing a veto as an act of violence — the throwing of a “bomb” — it could instead be offered as a commitment to principle and peace — a stand against injustice and for representation. A veto could communicate to all Utahns that as their executive, he is committed to promoting fairness and ensuring that they all have equal access to government, regardless of their party affiliation.
The people of Utah deserve to have their voices heard, and they deserve leaders who are sincerely committed to democratic governance.
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