WASHINGTON (AP) — Utah voters will nominate candidates for Congress Tuesday using a new map that created a Democratic-friendly district in Salt Lake City and scrambled the reelection plans of the state’s all-Republican delegation.
The new congressional boundaries could result in an additional Democratic seat, as Republicans try to retain a slim U.S. House majority in a midterm election environment where the president’s party typically loses seats in Congress.
The state adopted the new map over the objections of the Republican-controlled Legislature after a Utah court invalidated lawmakers’ 2021 plan, which divided the Democratic stronghold of Salt Lake City among four Republican-dominated congressional districts. The court ruled that the Republican lawmakers’ map violated a voter-backed 2018 measure designed to reduce partisanship in redistricting.
The Utah Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling in February, and a Republican measure backed by President Donald Trump to repeal the 2018 anti-gerrymandering law failed to make the November ballot. The reshuffling of seats in Utah comes as Republicans are set to make gains from mid-decade redistricting efforts in several states at Trump’s urging.
In the newly drawn Salt Lake City-based 1st Congressional District, former Salt Lake City mayor and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams looks to return to Congress in a district more favorable than the one he represented for one term at the end of the last decade. He faces state Sen. Nate Blouin, tax attorney Michael Farrell and former American Heart Association lobbyist and former TikTok and Meta policy analyst Liban Mohamed. At the start of June, McAdams had almost triple Blouin’s overall fundraising haul and dwarfed the rest of the field combined in cash available.
Republican Riley Owen is running unopposed. Had this district been in effect in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris would have carried it with 60% of the vote.
The new 2nd Congressional District in northwest Utah is the least changed of the state’s four districts. It tracks closely with the current 1st Congressional District. Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, who currently represents the 1st District, is running for a fourth term, but he faces a tough primary against state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee. At the April state party convention, Lisonbee defeated Moore by an almost two-to-one margin in a nomination vote among delegates, but Moore secured a spot in the primary through a signature petition. Lisonbee has criticized Moore for co-chairing the “Better Boundaries” committee that helped pass the 2018 redistricting law that many state Republicans blame for costing them a seat in Congress.
In the massive new 3rd Congressional District spanning southern and eastern Utah, Republican U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy faces a primary challenge from former state Rep. Phil Lyman in her bid for a second full term. Maloy currently represents the 2nd Congressional District, which overlaps with the new 3rd District in southwest Utah, but the bulk of the new district along the Colorado border will be new territory. Maloy narrowly won the nomination vote at the April state convention over Lyman after two rounds of voting, but not by enough to keep Lyman off the primary ballot.
In the new 4th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy is unopposed for renomination. The district overlaps mostly with Maloy’s current 2nd District on the western side of the state, not the eastern half that he’s represented since 2025.
Republican U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens of the current 4th District in the heart of Utah opted not to seek reelection.
Trump has endorsed all three incumbents seeking reelection.
About half of Utah’s 29 state Senate seats and all 75 state House seats are up for election in 2026. Republicans hold overwhelming supermajorities in both chambers.
Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:
Polls close at 8 p.m. MT, which is 10 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.
Any registered voter may participate in the Democratic primary regardless of party registration. Only registered Republicans may vote in the Republican primary. Eligible voters may register in-person at the polls during the early voting period or on Election Day. Voters who are not affiliated with any political party may affiliate with the Republican Party at the polls on Election Day and vote in the Republican primary.
As of June 16, there were about 2.1 million registered voters in Utah, including about 1 million registered Republicans, about 297,000 registered Democrats and about 622,000 voters not affiliated with any party.
Roughly 427,000 votes were cast in the 2024 Republican state primary. Total votes in Democratic primaries ranged from about 68,000 in the 2024 presidential primary to about 221,000 in the 2020 presidential primary.
Elections in Utah are conducted predominantly by mail.
As of Thursday, about 163,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s primaries, including about 127,000 from Republicans, about 32,000 from Democrats and about 2,900 from unaffiliated voters.
Most counties tend to release a significant amount of early in-person and mail results in the 1st vote update of the night. But in about two-thirds of counties, advance voting results are released along with results from in-person Election Day voting.
In the 2024 state primary, the AP first reported results at 10:03 p.m. ET, or three minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 2:07 a.m. ET with about 74% of total votes counted. The tally surpassed 90% of the vote counted by June 27 at 6:32 p.m. ET, two days after Election Day.
The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.
Recounts are automatic in Utah only in the event of a tie vote. A losing candidate may request a recount if the vote margin is 0.25% of the total vote or less. In elections with fewer than 400 total votes cast, recounts may be requested if the winning margin is one vote. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.
As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.
FILE - Liban Mohamed, the son of Somali immigrants and a former Meta and TikTok employee, speaks on a panel of candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)
FILE - Utah state Sen. Nate Blouin, left, and tax attorney Michael Farrell speak on a panel of candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)
FILE - Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams speaks at a forum for candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned on Monday, paving the way for Britain to have its seventh prime minister in just over a decade.
He said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party but would remain caretaker prime minister until a new head is chosen by the party.
Andy Burnham, who won a special parliamentary election last week, confirmed that he will run to succeed Starmer.
Starmer won a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, but a series of missteps badly damaged his credibility.
His resignation comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.
Here's the latest:
Nigel Farage, who leads the anti-immigration party, wrote on X that “Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”
“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he said.
Farage said Labour has betrayed voters’ trust, citing the Starmer government’s unpopular welfare and tax policies and illegal immigration as examples of the party’s failings.
Britain’s next national election doesn’t have to be held until 2029. British politics allows parties to change leaders midterm without the need for a general election.
António Costa said on Monday that Starmer helped turn “a new page” in EU-UK relations ten years after Brexit.
“We turned a new page in EU-UK relations,” Costa said in a social media post. “The EU is committed to continued cooperation in this spirit.”
Starmer was seen as repairing relations with Brussels following Brexit and had helped schedule an EU-UK summit for July 22.
But on Monday, the European Commission said they were reassessing that plan.
“I respect the decision he has made,” Jonas Gahr Støre, a fellow center-left leader, said in a statement.
“The United Kingdom is Norway’s close ally in Europe, and over the past two years our countries have grown even closer through important agreements," he said.
Støre added: “We have worked closely together to strengthen security cooperation in Europe and to support Ukraine.”
In a post on X, Andy Burnham thanked Starmer for his service and leadership.
He said Starmer’s decision to step down “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”
“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.”
He added: “People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives.”
Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirms he will run to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister.
Wes Streeting, considered another leading contender, said he will back Burnham. That makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said Starmer’s replacement would have to change “our broken politics.”
“The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them,” he said. “This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in No. 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”
Zack Polanski, who leads the Green Party, echoed that the U.K. needs a “bold change of direction.”
Referring to former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who many expect to become the next Labour leader, Polanski said: “The time for half measures and sticking plasters is long gone — if he becomes the next PM, Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”
“The German government has always had in Keir Starmer a reliable and close partner in foreign policy questions, particularly regarding Ukraine,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, told reporters. He declined to comment on the “internal motives in Britain.”
He said the government believes a meeting that Merz plans to host in Berlin Wednesday of the so-called “E5” — Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Poland — will go ahead as planned despite Starmer’s announcement. The meeting is meant as part of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit.
"Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government. The first in 14 years. A page in our country’s history turned after years of disappointment and despair. ... The chance to change the lives of millions of people for the better. That’s what I came into politics for. The journey to that point was not easy."
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace."
“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.
“I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.”
Starmer stood behind a lectern featuring a crest with a lion and a unicorn.
One is not a native of the U.K. and the other is mythical.
Both have shared the distinction of being part of the royal coat of arms since the 17th century.
The lion, although never living in the wild of England, is its national animal. The unicorn, though fictional, is Scotland’s official animal.
The two became part of the crest when the two crowns were united in 1603, when King James I ascended the throne in England; he was already King James VI in Scotland.
When he was elected in 2024 in a landslide victory for Labour, Starmer pledged to steady the ship and end years of political chaos under his successors, the Conservative Party.
Starmer had succeeded Rishi Sunak, who held the top job from 2022 to 2024.
Before Sunak, Liz Truss lasted only 45 days. Truss followed three other Conservative prime ministers: Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Theresa May (2016-2019), and David Cameron (2010-2016.)
Starmer said Monday that nominations will open on July 9 and close when Parliament breaks up for its summer recess, which is scheduled to begin July 16. The contest will be open to members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party.
Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the leading candidate to replace Starmer. The question now is whether anyone will challenge him.
If there is no challenge, Burnham could become Labour leader and thus prime minister soon after nominations close. Even if there is a contest, Starmer said a successor would be selected by Sept. 1.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy after news of his resignation in a post online on Monday.
“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”
Starmer’s voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement.
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party.
Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.
Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.
As Starmer began his speech, protesters nearby played the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”
Expectation is building that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out a timetable for his resignation, conceding to pressure from his Labour Party to hand over the reins of power.
If he does, Starmer will be the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure.
Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following the victory of intraparty rival Andy Burnham in a special election for a seat in Parliament. Burnham, until last week the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, ran with the aim of challenging Starmer for leadership of the party and the country.
Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer hugs his wife Victoria after he announced his resignation outside 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria stand in front of 10 Downing Street door after after announcing his resignation in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.(AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
FILE - Labour party's Andy Burnham speaks after winning the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. in Wigan, England, Friday, June 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super, file)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria step out to speak to the media outside 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Larry the cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office waits on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026 as expectations are growing that Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce his resignation soon.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain's Labour Party leadership candidate Wes Streeting speaks in central London, Tuesday June 16, 2026. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
Labour party's Andy Burnham speaks after winning the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. in Wigan, England, Friday, June 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gestures as he speaks with local residents as he visits a housing development in north London, Friday, June 19, 2026. (Peter Macdiarmid/Pool Photo via AP)
