Voters should pick their politicians; politicians shouldn’t pick their voters.

The Proposition 4 campaign brought people of all political persuasions together to protect Utah from the harmful effects of gerrymandering. The Utah Constitution provides that “all political power is inherent in the people.” But our prior redistricting process undermined this fundamental value because it allowed politicians to select the people who vote for them.

Proposition 4 establishes a reasonable process for addressing the risk of gerrymandering. It creates an independent redistricting commission that will take a first crack at drawing our political boundaries. Commissioners will be appointed by the Governor and state legislative leadership. To promote impartiality, the commissioners can’t be elected officials, lobbyists, candidates for office, or others with a personal interest in the outcome. When drawing the maps, the commission must adhere to common-sense standards that are designed to curb gerrymandering.

As called for in our State Constitution, the Legislature will retain the final say in the map drawing process, with the authority to reject the commission’s proposed maps. If the Legislature chooses to reject those maps, it must draw new maps in compliance with the new standards.

By placing common-sense limits on politicians’ power to design their own districts, Proposition 4 ensures that our government serves people, not politicians. It makes the redistricting process more transparent and ensures politicians are accountable to the people who elect them.

In short, Prop 4 puts voters first.