Utah Senate shields Wasatch County from districting law, singles out Democratic Summit County to comply alone

Senator Daniel McCay addresses colleagues on October 6, 2025 during a special legislative session. Photo: screenshot via Utah Legislature

The measure passed despite admission that lawmakers weren't being consistent

WASATCH COUNTY – Utah lawmakers voted Monday to let Wasatch County sidestep a districting mandate still binding neighboring Summit County — a move that drew sharp criticism from Sen. Daniel McCay (R-Riverton), who said the Legislature was effectively rewarding a county for ignoring state law.

The debate unfolded during a special legislative session when senators considered a measure to roll back part of House Bill 356, the 2024 law requiring counties with a council-manager form of government to elect all council members from individual districts rather than at-large. Summit County remains subject to the law, while Wasatch County — added to the bill at the last minute last spring — will now retain its existing system of three districted and two at-large council seats.

“This bill turns back the clock,” explained Sen. Mike McKell (R-Spanish Fork), who carried the measure in the Senate. “Wasatch County will stay as it was before, and Summit County will continue with the new districting requirement.”

But that distinction did not sit well with McCay. He pressed McKell to explain why the Legislature was drawing a line between two counties of similar size, structure, and population.

“My understanding is we decided it was better for counties in this situation to have districted races — but we’re making an exception for one county,” McCay said. “What’s the difference between Summit County and Wasatch County? I’m just trying to figure out why we’re telling Summit County their form of government, but not telling Wasatch County their form of government.”

McKell acknowledged the inconsistency but declined to offer a concrete explanation. “That’s a fair question,” he said. “Across the state, we see a variety of different models, and is our law entirely consistent? Probably not. It probably merits a broader conversation.”

When McCay followed up, pointing out that Summit County had already complied with the new law by forming a districting commission and drafting maps while Wasatch County “did nothing,” McKell again declined to elaborate.

“I’m not going to speculate as to why Wasatch County may not have moved forward,” he said.

McCay, who ultimately voted against the bill, called the decision “a special favor” and warned it set a troubling precedent. “Wasatch County was completely out of compliance with the law. They had no intent to comply — and as a result kind of thumbed their nose at us,” he said. “Then we turn around in a special session and pass a bill that says, ‘Yeah, you don’t have to do that.’”

The measure passed narrowly in the Senate, 15–11, after limited debate. It now leaves Summit County alone in implementing a district-based council system by an October 15 deadline.

The outcome underscores an ongoing tension between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Summit County — one of Utah’s few Democratic-leaning counties — and signals that the redistricting question may resurface on Capitol Hill.

After the vote, McCay weighed in on the decision.