Voting rights, among other things, are protected by the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. This is quite simply one of our most cherished constitutional guarantees.
So when gerrymandered voting districts are rigged to favor one group over another — as is the case in Utah, where Republican-drawn districts perpetuate dominance over Democrats — those voting districts become a weapon to subvert democracy. And the rights and preferences of large numbers of voters get trampled in the process. In light of this, and the potential defeat of Prop 4 (the offspring of the Better Boundaries initiative), San Juan County’s federally ordered redrawing of politically gerrymandered voting districts becomes particularly significant.
This court-ordered directive was far more than a victory for the beleaguered Navajo in Southeast Utah. It was a resounding victory and perhaps even a guiding precedent for those who believe that voting districts must withstand constitutional scrutiny and that large numbers of voters should not be reduced to nonparticipants in the American democracy.
With potential application at the state level, this ruling gives all Americans reason for hope that severely gerrymandered boundaries can be overcome through legal action. But it still remains almost incomprehensible that in a state that prides itself on patriotism and belief in democratic ideals, more than 50 percent of Utah voters could reject Prop 4.
Thomas R. Smith, Salt Lake City
