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Letter: What to do to get redistricting initiative on 2018 ballot

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Former SLC Mayor Ralph Becker, right, and Jeff Wright talk about the formal launch of the Better Boundaries initiative, which will ask voters to create an independent commission to redraw political districts . The pair spoke from the Cicero Group offices in Salt Lake City Thursday July 20, 2017.

As a member of the League of Women Voters, I have been collecting signatures for the statewide redistricting initiative. This is the same initiative The Salt Lake Tribune reported about on Oct. 27, “Voters favor redistricting initiative.” I would like to correct the impression that the initiative will certainly be on the ballot in 2018.

The article did not point out that 113,143 signatures of registered Utah voters from at least 26 of our 29 Senate districts are necessary to add the initiative to the November 2018 ballot. This is no easy task, although as your article stated, voters highly favor this effort.

Legislative boundaries for state school board, state House and Senate districts, as well as for U.S. congressional districts will be reset following the 2020 census. The proposed bipartisan commission would advise the Legislature on setting district boundaries in a public process, using clear criteria for how boundaries are set. This process would be in contrast to the current system whereby the Legislature draws district lines unilaterally.

The League and others are working tirelessly to bring fairness to the process. Voters who support adding the redistricting initiative to the 2018 ballot can contact the League of Women Voters at (801) 272-8683 or check our website www.lwvutah.org to find out how to locate an official canvasser in their area.

Amy Mills, Park City