Overview
- Utahns for Representative Government asked the Utah Supreme Court for a two- to three-day extension, citing roughly 300 stolen or destroyed signatures, updated district thresholds and some clerks closing on Sunday, while Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson urged the court to deny the request.
- Beyond the statewide total, the petition must hit the 8% target in 26 of 29 Senate districts, and as of Friday it had cleared the bar in only four southern districts and remained far behind in several along the Wasatch Front.
- Organizers and police reports describe at least 50 harassment incidents against signature gatherers and the loss of about 300 signatures, with some paid workers quitting in response to the hostile environment.
- Opponents led by Better Boundaries are urging signers to rescind, with nearly 1,300 withdrawals logged so far; county clerks have 21 days to verify submissions, and a 45-day rescission period follows verification.
- Separate court fights over Utah’s congressional map are ongoing, including a motion to dismiss a federal challenge and legislative filings backing the case, while Judge Dianna Gibson’s court-ordered map remains in place for 2026 and any repeal would affect maps drawn for 2028.