Fair Maps: When they disagree, ask the voters.

In 2018, Utah voters approved the Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act. I support it, and my first reason is the simplest one available.

The voters approved it.

Government of the people has to stay a government of the people and by the people. When individuals or special interest groups take for themselves the power to make determinations that affect all of us, they are acting in error and against the principles of democracy. Which party is doing it does not change that much for me.

The harder question is what should happen when the Legislature disagrees with a map the commission draws. Right now the answer is that the Legislature does what it prefers, and the people living inside the lines find out afterward.

I would rather we did it this way. When the Legislature and the commission disagree about a map, the map goes to the public. Both sides lay out their reasoning. Then we vote on it.

The voters have more at stake in those boundaries than anyone else in the room. We live inside them for ten years. If the two bodies cannot agree, it seems obvious to me that the tiebreaker should be the people whose districts are being drawn.

I know that is not how it works now. I would like someone to explain to me why not.