The Utah Democratic Party lost state legislative ground in 2022 after new district maps were approved by Utah’s Republican supermajority. But a group of young Democratic activists hope this year’s efforts to reach voters statewide could flip a few red seats blue on Tuesday night.
Republicans have held a supermajority of at least two-thirds in the Utah Legislature since the 1990s, giving lawmakers latitude to pass legislation, override governors’ vetos and introduce constitutional amendments. Republican Party leaders say they have a plan to keep their supermajorities in place.
The state Senate is currently made up of six Democrats and 23 Republicans — three seats more than is needed for a supermajority. And the state House has 14 Democrats and 61 Republicans — 11 seats more than is needed for a supermajority.
Democrats say they are within reach of closing those margins. If not this year than in two, or six, or eight, according to the room full of 15 or so full-time Utah Democratic “field organizers” who are behind the state party’s biggest centralized push in recent memory.