What to know about Tuesday’s primary elections in Maryland, Utah, New York
Redistricting will be central to Democratic primaries in Utah and Maryland, while South Carolina faces a heated Republican run-off. Less than five months remain before
Redistricting will be central to Democratic primaries in Utah and Maryland, while South Carolina faces a heated Republican run-off. Less than five months remain before the United States holds its midterm elections, which are key to determining control of Congress — and the success of President Donald Trump’s final two years in office. Primaries are currently under way to determine which candidates will represent their political parties in the final round of voting. On Tuesday, three more states will head to the polls for primary races: Utah, Maryland and New York. Joining them for a run-off election will be South Carolina, which saw several of its June 9 primary races result in a split field, with no single candidate receiving a majority of 50 percent or more. As a result, the top two candidates in those races are headed to a showdown on Tuesday to determine who will advance to November’s midterms. What are the biggest races to follow this week? Here’s a breakdown of some of the nail-biters. In Utah, a potential breakthrough for Democrats When does voting in Utah start? Voting in many locations starts at 7am local time on Tuesday (13:00 GMT). Voting in many locations starts at 7am local time on Tuesday (13:00 GMT). When does voting in Utah end? Voting in many locations closes at 8pm local time on Tuesday (02:00 GMT on Wednesday). Voting in many locations closes at 8pm local time on Tuesday (02:00 GMT on Wednesday). What’s one big race to watch? The Democratic primary for the 1st congressional district. Redistricting has played an outsized role in this year’s primary races, in part due to efforts from President Trump. The Republican leader has sought to redesign state congressional maps to give his party an advantage in the race to control the House of Representatives. But something different has happened in Utah. In the mountainous western state, known for its rust-coloured ridges and dramatic stone arches, a battle has been playing out between voters and lawmakers over who should draw the congressional map. Back in 2018, voters approved a ballot measure that would set up an independent redistricting commission, tasked with creating a map free of partisan gerrymandering. Republicans in Utah’s legislature, however, voted to repeal that ballot measure, and they imposed their own map in 2021. That sparked a lawsuit, and in 2025, a court ruled that the state must use a map that does not carve up its most populous county, Salt Lake. Splitting Salt Lake County, a Democratic-leaning area, among Utah’s four congressional districts would have diluted the power of left-leaning voters in the area. With the new map, Salt Lake County stays largely together, giving Utah its first Democratic-leaning district since 2021. Currently, all four of Utah’s districts have Republican representatives. That puts all eyes on the race for Utah’s first congressional district, which encompasses Salt Lake County. The Republican nominee for the district is already selected for November: Riley Owen, a former Navy Reserve intelligence officer who worked as a White House staffer under Trump. But Democrats are facing a four-way race to select their nominee.
The BriefWire