SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — As the deadline for reelection filings approaches, two Republican congress members from Utah, Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens, have initiated a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking the implementation of new congressional districts. The districts, which were drawn following a court ruling, are said to enhance the Democratic Party's chances of securing a seat in the Salt Lake City area during the upcoming elections in November. The lawsuit, filed late Monday, contends that a state judge overstepped her authority last year by rejecting congressional districts outlined by the Republican-controlled state Legislature. Instead, the judge imposed a map proposed by advocacy groups that challenged the original districts. The legal action argues that both the U.S. Constitution and the Utah Constitution allocate redistricting authority exclusively to the state Legislature, asserting, "courts have no authority to draw a congressional map." The lawsuit calls for the reinstatement of the congressional districts last approved by the Legislature in 2021, unless new ones are formulated by lawmakers. Utah is currently embroiled in a broader national debate regarding redistricting, with several states facing legal challenges to their congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections. Recently, a judge in New York ordered a commission to redraw the sole Republican-held U.S. House seat in New York City, ruling that the existing district unconstitutionally diluted votes of Black and Hispanic residents. Republicans in that state have since filed an appeal against the decision. The ongoing redistricting disputes have drawn attention from the U.S. Supreme Court, which is deliberating an appeal related to a Democratic-backed congressional redistricting plan approved by California voters. Additionally, Missouri courts are reviewing various legal challenges to a new U.S. House map established by the state's Republican-led Legislature, highlighting the contentious landscape of electoral map-making across the country. The urgency of redistricting has escalated, particularly after former President Donald Trump urged Republicans in Texas to reconfigure their congressional districts to gain an electoral advantage. This has led to a mid-decade gerrymandering battle that continues to unfold in numerous states, including Maryland and Virginia. Currently, Republicans hold all four congressional seats in Utah, based on districts created after the 2020 census. However, a ruling by State Judge Dianna Gibson in August determined that the original districts violated standards approved by voters in 2018, which were specifically designed to prevent gerrymandering. In November, Judge Gibson rejected a replacement map passed by the Legislature, instead opting for an alternative map proposed by plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which includes the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government. The newly imposed map effectively consolidates the Democratic stronghold of Salt Lake County into a single district, rather than fragmenting it across multiple districts. "The map currently in place is fair and legal," stated Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, in response to the recent federal lawsuit. The legal battle is further complicated by actions taken by the Utah Legislature, whose attorneys have requested the state Supreme Court to overturn Judge Gibson's ruling. Over the weekend, Governor Spencer Cox signed a bill that expands the state Supreme Court from five justices to seven, raising concerns about the potential political motivations behind the change. New justices will be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, possibly impacting the judicial review of the congressional map. Candidates in Utah are typically required to file for election by January 8, but this year, legislators extended the filing deadline for congressional candidates to March 13. Neither Maloy nor Owens has yet filed for reelection, citing uncertainty regarding their respective districts due to the changes brought about by the new map. Their lawsuit emphasizes that the redistricting has caused confusion about which district they should represent moving forward. In a separate effort, Republican leaders in Utah have been gathering signatures to place a measure on the November ballot that would seek to repeal the state's anti-gerrymandering standards, potentially reshaping the electoral landscape in future elections. The outcome of this legal battle, combined with ongoing initiatives to alter redistricting regulations, is likely to have a significant impact on the political dynamics within Utah and may set precedents for how electoral maps are drawn in the future. As the midterm elections draw nearer, the ramifications of the congressional district dispute will be closely monitored by both local and national observers.