Redistricting initiative group hires executive director

December 15, 2009

Cathy Mckitrick

The group pushing an initiative to create an independent advisory commission for redrawing boundaries for Utah's congressional and state legislative districts has hired an executive director.

Since organizing in April, Fair Boundaries has functioned on volunteer power. But initiative organizers believed it was time to take the statewide effort to the next level by hiring Curtis Haring to oversee the day-to-day work.

"Fair Boundaries has grown beyond what a group of volunteers could achieve in their spare time," Coalition Director Trent Alvord said in a release, noting they'd sought a full-time staffer to make sure the initiative lands on November's ballot.

Haring, 25, is vice-president of the Young Democrats of Utah and previously worked on Ralph Becker's successful campaign for Salt Lake City mayor and Jean Welch Hill's failed bid for state attorney general.

The job pays $2,500 a month, Haring said, plus anything extra from donations. By April 15, the group must gather 95,000 voter signatures from 26 of Utah's 29 Senate districts to put the question to voters next fall.

"I believed in the cause long before I signed on," said the Rose Park native. "I'm a citizen first and want to make sure the system is fair."

cmckitrick@sltrib.com

On the Web

More information about the redistricting initiative can be found online at www.fairboundaries.org