A citizen initiative seeking to curb gerrymandering in Utah jumped out to a comfortable lead in early returns Tuesday evening.
Proposition 4 was leading 58.8 percent to 41.2, according to unofficial returns released shortly after polls closed. But all of the early results came only from Salt Lake and Duchesne counties, which quickly released tallies from by-mail ballots sent in before Election Day.
Prop 4 would create an independent commission appointed by the governor and legislative leaders to draw Utah’s congressional and legislative district boundaries after the Census every 10 years. The Legislature could reject its recommendations, but would need to explain why to perhaps angry voters.