Back in October, the Utah Legislature took a lot of heat for adopting a redistricting map that heavily favored the GOP. The Daily Herald even called it a “crime against humanity.”

One of my personal concerns with the map is that many of the cities and counties are being split into separate districts. For instance, south Davis County is now combined with Washington County, my home in Southern Utah before moving up north. I’ve only lived here two months, but I can tell you that Washington County is night and day different from Iron County, just an hour away, let alone night and day different from Davis County. I am a bit concerned about who is fairly going to represent both south Davis County and Washington County in the newly created second district.

It also does not make sense to me that cities such as Lehi, Payson, Springville and many others are actually split into different districts.

But what really has me concerned is that many of the legislators who created that map are now resigning, just weeks before the general session is to begin, to run for office in those cozy little districts they just created for themselves.

Some legislators are resigning because Lt. Gov. Greg Bell reminded them that no lawmakers are to do any fundraising while in session.

Forty-five days is a short period of time. But apparently some lawmakers feel that using those 45 days to raise money to campaign for office is more important than fulfilling the commitments they made to the office for which we elected them.

Many of these lawmakers are now forcing districts to scramble to find replacements before the session begins, rather than completing the office they committed to and not resigning after the General Session.

At this point, many of us know the problems with the newly created maps: the late-night, closed-door meetings and new maps seemingly popping up and being voted on over night. But now that we have legislators resigning to run in these districts that they created, I believe we have a right to state that legislators have no business completing these maps every 10 years. An independent party should complete these maps instead.

Come voting day, I for one, will be looking for a candidate who has proved that he/she will complete the job we elect them for.

To quote Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, who told the Associated Press: “If I’m a legislator, I’m going to be a legislator. I may not have the time to be out talking to people. But I have an obligation to those who elected me to remain serving.”

austin@davisclipper.com