A Sampler: Drawing districts in Utah ...

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

— Districting details: Reason for secrecy was always bogus — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

The paper trail left behind by those who redrew all of the state's congressional and legislative districts the last time around has always been a public record. The Republican leaders of the Legislature admitted as much late last week when they finally decided to actually make those records public, rather than face an embarrassing and expensive court battle with the Democrats and the state's news organizations.

Thus the leadership's argument that the records should only see the light of day if the Democratic Party would pay all the costs associated with the search is revealed as totally bogus. Only in a state where one party so dominates the landscape would any elected official utter, and expect to get away with, such a transparent stonewall. ...

— Utah redistricting bad for Dems and democracy — Peg McEntee | Tribune Columnist

At long last, the public records about the Legislature's tortuous path to redrawing Utah's political districts have been released and — besides the partisan game-playing one would expect to find — they show considerable angst from the most important party: voters.

Legislative leadership last week unveiled the records, which chronicled how lawmakers scrapped, scrabbled and finally sculpted something that few, if any, much liked. ...

— Did GOP greed help Matheson? — Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune

Newly disclosed redistricting documents reveal Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson, if he holds onto his narrow election win, could owe thanks to some surprising and unwitting helpers: Republican Reps. Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz, and, perhaps, Gov. Gary Herbert.

Documents, and interviews, say Bishop and Chaffetz pushed GOP legislators to make their conservative districts even more safe — although Bishop disputes that — thus making other districts more competitive. It could have made the difference in the newly created 4th Congressional District as Matheson holds a slim 2,646 vote lead over Mia Love before the final tally, including late absentee and provisional ballots, is announced Tuesday. ...

— Utah Dems should be ashamed — Provo Daily Herald Editorial