SALT LAKE CITY — Today, a federal court ruled that a fair congressional map proposed by the League of Women Voters Utah (LWVUT), Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) and individual voters — all represented by Campaign Legal Center — will remain in place ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This is a major victory for voters and fair maps in the state of Utah.

State courts in Utah have repeatedly ruled in favor of a fair congressional map despite opposition from the Utah State Legislature. On February 2, 2026, a group of plaintiffs — including U.S. Representatives Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens, and several local elected officials — filed a federal lawsuit, claiming the current map violated the federal constitution’s elections clause. They asked the federal court to reinstate a map passed by the Utah State Legislature back in 2021 that was already ruled by state courts to be in violation of the Utah Constitution and Proposition 4.

Campaign Legal Center — on behalf of LWVUT, MWEG, and individual Utahns — intervened in the federal lawsuit to defend the fair map, asked the Court to dismiss the lawsuit, and opposed the request to block use of the fair map in the 2026 election. For decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that state courts have the power and obligation to impose lawful congressional maps when the state legislature fails to. That is exactly what happened here.

While anti-voter advocates have spent years trying to keep an extreme partisan gerrymander in place, this new ruling in the federal case ensures that voters in Utah will have a map that allows them to fairly choose their elected officials. Today’s ruling affirms that Judge Dianna Gibson had the power to impose the plaintiff's map.  

“The court recognized what the League has long emphasized, that last-minute attempts to disrupt election processes—particularly with rejected legal theories—risk creating confusion for voters and administrators alike,” said Caren Short, director of legal and research for the League of Women Voters. “Protecting access to the ballot includes ensuring stability and certainty as elections approach. We are thrilled that Utah’s fair maps are one step closer to being solidified.”

“Utah voters should not have to navigate uncertainty to participate in their elections,” said Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah. “We are pleased the court protected this fair map and we remain focused on protecting voters’ ability to make their voices heard. We only wish that the futile attempts to undermine this fair map would cease so we could focus on what is important to Utahns.” 

“Today’s federal court decision is a significant win for Utah voters,” said Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. “This federal lawsuit sought to undo a lawful, court–ordered congressional map. The court’s decision to reject that effort is an important affirmation that the rule of law matters. Utah voters deserve fair representation, and this victory is about protecting those voters - not politicians. 

“Today’s ruling affirms that Judge Gibson had the power and obligation under federal law to impose a lawful congressional map. The Utah Legislature chose not to do so and so the court was required to,” said Mark Gaber, senior director for redistricting at Campaign Legal Center. “We are proud to see Utahns’ continued efforts fighting for their right to fair maps and representation result in another major legal victory for our democracy. Both the state and federal courts have made it clear: Elections in Utah should be determined by voters, and not politicians who can manipulate voting maps.”

Follow the latest updates via Campaign Legal Center’s case page.

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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.

Learn more about CLC. Don't miss out on our latest resources: Subscribe to President Trevor Potter's newsletter on LinkedIn or email, tune in to the latest season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, and join our livestreamed events.

SALT LAKE CITY — On February 20, 2026, the Utah Supreme Court dismissed an eleventh-hour challenge by the Utah Legislature, which sought to block Utah’s law requiring fair maps and revive a gerrymandered map for the fall congressional election. 

Campaign Legal Center, on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Utah (LWVUT), Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) and individual Utah voters, initially challenged the Utah Legislature’s repeal of Proposition 4 — a ballot initiative passed by Utah voters in 2018 that prohibits partisan gerrymandering by establishing the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and creating fair, neutral criteria and procedures for adopting district maps. The gerrymandered map passed by the Legislature in 2021 was challenged as well.

In November 2025, the court ordered Utah to use the map that the plaintiffs, represented by Campaign Legal Center, submitted for consideration after the Legislature passed yet another illegally gerrymandered map. In January 2026, the Legislature filed an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court and asked the Court to block the lower court’s order that reimposed Proposition 4 and invalidated the 2021 map.

The court ruled that the Legislature had missed its deadlines to appeal and must instead wait until the case reaches final judgment as a result. Today’s decision follows a series of rulings by Utah state courts that have repeatedly affirmed the right of Utahns to meaningfully influence their government.

“Utah voters deserve fair representation and clarity heading into our elections,” said Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah. “We are encouraged that the court dismissed this improper appeal and allowed the process to move forward without disruption to voters or election administrators. The League of Women Voters of Utah will continue in our fight for fair maps for Utahns. Enough is enough."

“MWEG celebrates this decision. The people voted against gerrymandering when they passed Prop 4. The courts have provided an important check on the Legislature, affirming the people’s constitutional right to alter and reform their government,” said Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. “We remain committed to defending that right.”

“Today’s decision confirms that the Utah Legislature, like everyone else, has to follow the rules that govern court proceedings,” said Mark Gaber, senior director for redistricting at Campaign Legal Center. “The Legislature had every opportunity to pass a fair and legal map last fall, and it chose not to. Now, for the first time in decades, Utah voters will vote under a fair congressional map that respects local communities and treats all Utahns equally.”

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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.

Learn more about CLC. Don't miss out on our latest resources: Subscribe to President Trevor Potter's newsletter on LinkedIn or email, tune in to the latest season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, and join our livestreamed events. 

WASHINGTON — Today, Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema used her campaign committee, Sinema for Arizona, to illegally spend over $700,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses. This is the latest occurrence in a troubling pattern of former lawmakers abusing campaign funds for personal use and is a violation of federal campaign finance law.  

“Federal campaign finance laws are clear that politicians who leave office do not have the green light to use leftover campaign funds however they want,” said Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. “Former Senator Sinema appears to have spent an exorbitant amount of campaign money on a personal spending spree during the 12 months after she left office. The FEC must investigate her use of campaign money and hold her accountable for any violations of campaign finance law.”  

The Federal Campaign Election Act (or FECA) prohibits the use of campaign funds — which were originally donated to support official activities by candidates or officeholders — to be used for personal expenses. A former officeholder’s leftover campaign funds have a narrow list of permissible uses, such as winding down an office, contributing to other candidates, or making charitable donations.

Sinema for Arizona had $4.2 million in cash on hand when Sinema left office in January 2025. While $3 million of that was used to start the Spark Center for Innovation Earning at Arizona State University, most of the remaining money appears to have been used to pay for Sinema’s personal expenses. The former senator used her campaign committee to pay for travel, lodging, meals and salaries of former staffers — some of whom were paid by the campaign even after taking private sector jobs. None of these payments, which totaled over $700,000, appear to be connected to her role as a former officeholder or efforts to wind down the committee. 

Since 2018, Campaign Legal Center has been tracking politicians’ use of campaign contributions, oftentimes through leadership PACs, as a slush fund to pay for a wide range of personal indulgences. Campaign Legal Center is now urging the FEC to investigate former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for potential personal use violations. Elected officials and candidates cannot be allowed to ignore the law and exploit their campaigns for their own personal gain. 

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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.

Learn more about CLC. Don't miss out on our latest resources: Subscribe to President Trevor Potter's newsletter on LinkedIn or email, tune in to the latest season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, and join our livestreamed events.