Mormon Women for Ethical Government works on redistricting : NPR

Emma Petty Addams is a classically trained pianist and piano teacher. But now this part of her life is on pause.

“This is who I am. And as soon as I can get back to it, I will. This is precisely the moment when something called democracy—a democratic republic—is important,” Addams said with a laugh during the interview.

Addams is co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, known as MWEG. The group is among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that is now forcing lawmakers to reapportion four Utah congressional seats.

Addams performed at her suburban home in Salt Lake City. She was joined by one of the individual plaintiffs in the case, MWEG member Vicki Reed, who believes the lawsuit is consistent with her faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I think the only thing that comes to mind is the anthem that we have: 'Do what is right, let the consequences follow,'” she said.

The notes for the hymn were recorded on Addams's piano. The consequences will play out this week in the Utah Legislature, and perhaps soon across the country.

Redistricting comes as Trump fights for the US House of Representatives

Following a court order prompted by the lawsuit, the Legislature on Monday passed a new district map that improves Democrats' chances of winning a House seat in a Republican-majority state next year. The card has yet to be reviewed by a judge.

It comes as President Trump has launched a national redistricting race, pushing Republican states to redistrict and helping his party maintain control of Congress. Trump condemned the court's decision, saying Utahns should be “outraged by their activist judicial system.”

Although Utah Republican legislators are complying with the court's decision, they are not happy about it. Republican state Rep. Candace Pierucci said in an interview that lawmakers represent the state better than the plaintiffs, “who have their own donor groups and their own members to whom they are beholden.”

“They are not accountable to Utah voters,” she said.

States typically redistrict at the beginning of the decade, when census results are available. But Trump got lawmakers in Texas and Missouri to redistrict in favor of Republican candidates. Other states may follow this example.

MWEG's involvement occurred before Trump's redistricting race

MWEG has been working on redistricting for years. The group says it formed in 2017 amid the government's “inhumane behavior” and has about 9,000 members across the country. Most are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Addams said about 40 percent are Republicans, including herself, and 34 percent are Democrats. The rest are independent or third-party organizations.

Laura Eyey, the group's communications manager, acknowledges that members often disagree, but they are united by religion.

“As church members become more involved in their communities and politics in general, they will do so in a way that respects the dignity of the person with whom they disagree,” Eyey said. “It really comes from a place of faith.”

They tend to focus on the democratic process, and this has led them to redistricting.

“In states like Texas and other places, it's a partisan fight. It goes between Democrats and Republicans,” Addams explained. “Here in Utah, this is a bipartisan and principled effort to create the best version of representative government we can have.”

In 2018, Utah voters supported the creation of an independent commission to redistrict the state. This was part of an effort to minimize partisan gerrymandering that divides seats in favor of one party or another.

But the Utah Legislature, with a Republican supermajority, instead reclaimed redistricting powers, largely killing the ballot initiative. Lawmakers then passed a map that divided Salt Lake County—the most Democratic area—into four other congressional districts.

MWEG, the League of Women Voters and individual plaintiffs sued in 2022, resulting in a Utah district court judge ruling that the Legislature had overstepped its authority and ordering redistricting effective immediately.

The last county map will be returned to the judge.

Reed, a member of MWEG who identifies as a moderate Republican, joined the lawsuit along with her Democratic husband.

“Yes, Utah is a red state. This means that in a red state, more than 50% of people voted for fair maps,” Reed said. “The Legislature has a responsibility to listen to the people. And it just didn’t happen.”

Republicans currently hold all four House seats. Republicans dispute that the state constitution allows voters to directly decide redistricting. “The Utah Constitution gives the sole responsibility and authority to draw maps in conjunction with the state legislature,” Pierucci told NPR. They promise, if necessary, to transfer the case to a higher court.

For now, however, the map passed by the Legislature this week will go back to a judge. MWEG and other complainants will be allowed to express their views. Addams says lawmakers still haven't met the nonpartisan demands put forward by voters.

“MWEG joins thousands of Utahns who have commented against the partisan gerrymandering of the legislative map that violates these requirements,” Addams told NPR in a statement.