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2025 California Proposition 50

Proposed amendment to the California Constitution From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2025 California Proposition 50
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California Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act[2], is a constitutional amendment that will appear on the special election ballot in the U.S. state of California on November 4, 2025. The special election was put on the ballot by the California State Legislature and California Governor Gavin Newsom in response to the 2025 Texas redistricting. If passed, it will allow the state to use a new, legislature-drawn congressional district map for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections instead of the one drawn by bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The map defined in Proposition 50 favors the Democratic Party more than the map drawn by the bipartisan commission.[3]

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Background

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See also: 2025 Texas redistricting

In June 2025, Republican lawmakers in Texas first proposed gerrymandering the state's congressional district lines to favor Republicans.[4] In July, Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, called a special session of the Texas Legislature to discuss redistricting.[5] Texas Democrats in the state House of Representatives fled the state in an effort to break quorum and stall the redistricting effort.[6]

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, first proposed that California could gerrymander its own congressional district maps to favor Democrats in an effort to offset potential gains from Texas's gerrymandering.[7] The California Citizens Redistricting Commission is an independent bipartisan body that currently handles redistricting in the state. The commission was first established in 2008 by Proposition 11 with a mandate for drawing districts for the State Legislature and the Board of Equalization. With the passage of Proposition 20, the commission's power was expanded in 2010 to also draw congressional districts. Newsom proposed that a special election be called to temporarily pause the commission and return redistricting power to the California Legislature until the end of the decade. Because both Propositions 11 and 20 were voter-approved amendments to the state constitution, any such changes to the redistricting power would also require a voter-approved constitutional amendment.[8] On August 11, 2025, Newsom sent a letter to Donald Trump, stating that California would pause any mid-decade redistricting effort if other states called off their efforts.[9] Two days later, Newsom announced that the deadline had passed and he would move forward with his own redistricting effort.[10]

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Proposed map

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Map of California's congressional districts as set by the California redistricting commission (effective 2023–2032 unless Proposition 50 passes)
Interactive map version
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Proposed map for California Proposition 50 redistricting
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The proposed map was drawn by Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell,[11] and formally submitted to the legislature by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.[12] Proponents of the maps stated that the map was more compact than the previous map, with fewer city and county splits and with the majority of districts changed by less than 10%,[12] although there are certain cities, notably Lodi, would be split up, whereas they were not before.[13] Neutral observers, however, have described the maps as an "aggressive Democratic gerrymander" that would more than double the bias in the current map.[14]

It targets five seats currently held by Republicans:[15][16][17]

The proposed map is also expected to help seven Democrats who represent swing districts:[16]

  • Josh Harder (CA-09), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase by 13.1%
  • Adam Gray (CA-13), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Republicans would go down by 5.5% and would effectively be eliminated.
  • Jim Costa (CA-21), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase by 2.2%
  • George T. Whitesides (CA-27), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase by 5.5%
  • Derek Tran (CA-45), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase from 1.5% to 4%.
  • Dave Min (CA-47), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase from 4% to 10%.
  • Mike Levin (CA-49), the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats would increase by 4%

In six districts, the large voter registration advantage that Democrats enjoy would drop by more than 10%, but would still favor the Democrats:[16]

The proposed map is expected to help one Republican who represents a swing district: Young Kim (CA-40). The Republican advantage in the voter registration will increase by 9.7% [16]

The voter registration in 23 districts would change by 2% or less.[16]

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Legislative history

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A postcard with election information that was sent to voters in Sonoma County for the special election.
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A Proposition 50 mail-in-ballot sent to voters in Los Angeles County.

Three actions were necessary to place Proposition 50 on the ballot:[18][19]

  1. Pass Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 which is the amendment submitted for approval to California voters to redistrict the state
  2. Pass Senate Bill 280 to call the election, assign the proposition number, and prohibit any candidate from using the title "incumbent" in the June 2026 congressional election should the measure pass
  3. Pass Assembly Bill 604 to assign each census block within the counties to a congressional district.

SB 280 was introduced on August 18,[a] and a legislative vote occurred in both chambers on August 21. A two-thirds supermajority was needed to place the measure on the ballot.[22][23] The California State Assembly surpassed the 54 votes needed for a supermajority by passing the bill on a 57 to 20 vote.[b] Hours later, the California State Senate surpassed the 27 votes needed for a supermajority by approving the bill on a 30 to 8 vote.[25][c] Governor Newsom signed it into law later in the day.[26] ACA 8 also passed by that same vote tally, although as a legislative constitutional amendment it did not need the governor's signature.[27] ACA 8 was chaptered by the Secretary of State on August 21, 2025, at Resolution Chapter 156, Statues of 2025.[27] AB 604, which set the boundaries of the districts, passed 56 to 20 in the Assembly and 30 to 9 in the Senate.[28][d][e]

In response to the legislation that put Proposition 50 on the ballot, California State Assembly minority leader James Gallagher, along with a few other Republican cosponsors, introduced a joint resolution to split California into two states.[31][32]

Impact

If approved by voters, new congressional maps would be enacted prior to the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections.[33] The new maps would last through 2030, after which the state commission would draw up a new map to adjust district lines after the decennial U.S. Census.

Litigation

Four California state legislators (state senators Tony Strickland and Suzette Martinez Valladares and assembly members Tri Ta and Kate Sanchez) filed a lawsuit with the California Supreme Court asking the court to block the vote in the State Legislature on the ground that state law required a 30-day waiting period before voting on the bill. On August 20, the California Supreme Court rejected the motion by the four legislators, paving the way for a vote the following day.[34]

On August 25, after the bill became law, the same four legislators sued again in the state Supreme Court. In their emergency lawsuit, the legislators claim that the proposition is a violation of citizens' rights to have the California redistricting commission draw congressional districts. The California Republican Party announced that it was backing the plaintiffs, who were represented by a law firm founded by U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.[35] The California Supreme Court also rejected the second lawsuit.[36]

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Election logistics

The cost for the special election has been estimated at $282 million, of which $251 million is incurred by the counties to conduct the election and reimbursable by the state.[37] The cost of the election increased by $2 million because the Voter Information Guide mailed out by the California Secretary of State to all California households with voters had a typo, necessitating mailing postcards with a correction.[38]

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Campaign

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Support for the measure is expected to be highly partisan, with supporters of the measure likely being members of the Democratic Party, while those in opposition are expected to be members of the Republican Party.[39]

On August 25, the day that the four Republican state legislators filed their second lawsuit, Donald Trump announced that he will ask the United States Justice Department to sue in federal court to block Proposition 50. California's governor Gavin Newsom responded in a tweet, "BRING IT".[40]

On September 4, political advisor Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate in the 2026 CA gubernatorial election, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, asking them to stop Proposition 50. On September 25, Hilton asked for an injunction with the court, after Governor Newsom and CA Secretary of State Shirley Weber failed to respond to the suit within 21 days, as typically required by federal law. An official within the office of Governor Newsom told the Fresno television station KFSN-TV that they did not respond because they were not properly served.[41] On October 3, Hilton's preliminary injunction was filed with the district court.[42]

Support

The ballot measure was proposed by Governor Newsom, who has emerged as its most vocal champion.[43][3] Other prominent supporters include former President Barack Obama,[44] former Vice President Kamala Harris,[45] U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff,[46] and the California AFL-CIO.[47] Newsom, Padilla, and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi signed the ballot argument in favor.[48]

Within a month after the special election was called, Gavin Newsom's committee supporting the proposition raised $70 million, with $10 million coming from George Soros and his family.[49] Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared in an ad produced by the PAC, speaking in support of the Proposition and telling Californians that it 'levels the playing field' and 'gives power back to the people'.[50]

The liberal think tank, Center for American Progress, which is normally in favor of independent redistricting commissions, stated that redistricting commissions should be put on hold until the US Congress "establishes federal standards for redistricting that all states must abide by."[51]

Opposition

Two main committees were formed in oppostion to the proposition: One named "Stop Sacramento's Power Grab", backed by Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, and the other named "Protect Voters First", backed by Charles Munger Jr.[52] Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state's most recent Republican to have served as governor has backed Munger Jr.'s efforts, but did not formally join the latter's campaign committee.[53] McCarthy announced that he plans on raising $100 million for his committee, with immediate past chair of the California Republican Party, Jessica Millan Patterson, tapped to lead McCarthy's committee.[54] Both Schwarzenegger and Munger played a significant role in bringing about the state's current redistricting commission, with Munger having spent $12 million on the propostion to create the commission.[55][56][57] Munger donated $10 million to kick-off his committee. Both committees were planning on distancing themselves from Donald Trump.[52]

Democratic State Assembly member Jasmeet Bains, who is running against incumbent Republican Congressman David Valadao in 2026, also came out in opposition to the proposition.[58]

Neutral

Common Cause issued a statement that it "will not pre-emptively oppose mid-decade redistricting in California."[59] As a result, multiple advisory board members resigned.[60]

The League of Women Voters of California, a leading proponent of Proposition 20 in 2010, had initially issued a statement opposing the redistricting,[61] but changed its position to neutral after the State Legislature voted to put Proposition 50 on the ballot.[62] The Charles Munger Jr.-formed committee used quotes from the original opposition in mailers, without mentioning that the league had dropped its opposition.[63]

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Endorsements

Yes
Federal officials
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State senators
State representatives
National party officials
Local officials
Individuals
Political parties
Labor unions
Organizations
Newspapers
Government bodies
No
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State senators
State representatives
Individuals
Political parties
Local officials
Local party officials
Organizations
Newspapers
Government bodies
Declined to endorse
Organizations
Political parties
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Polling

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See also

Notes

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  1. [a]
    A bill numbered SB-280 was introduced February 5, 2025. On August 18 the content of the original bill was removed and replaced with the bill as passed into law (with very minor modifications) on August 21.[20][21]
  2. [b]
    In the State Assembly, all 57 votes for the bill were from Democrats. All Republicans, joined by one Democrat, Jasmeet Bains, voted against. Two Democrats, Dawn Addis and Alex Lee did not cast a vote[24]
  3. [c]
    In the State Senate, two Republicans (Marie Alvarado-Gil and Kelly Seyarto) did not cast a vote. All other state senators voted along party line with Democrats voting for the bill, and Republicans voting against the bill.[24]
  4. [d]
    Similar to SB-280, AB-604 was introduced February 13, 2025, and on August 18 the content of the original bill was removed and replaced with the bill as passed into law on August 21 with no additional modifications.[29][30]
  5. [e]
    The differences between the roll-call votes for SB 280 and AB 604 were: in the Assembly Mia Bonta did not cast a vote for AB 604 but voted for SB 280, and in the Senate, Kelly Seyarto voted no on AB 604 and did not cast a vote on SB 280.
  6. [f]
    Owned by Southern California News Group, who issued near-identical editorials opposing Proposition 50 in all their newspapers.
  7. [g]
    Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  8. [h]
    Phrased as "support returning congressional redistricting authority to state legislators"
  9. [i]
    Phrased as "support keeping the independent redistricting commission"

Partisan clients

  1. [A]
    Poll sponsored by the United States Justice Foundation
  2. [B]
    Pollster has conducted surveys for Gavin Newsom.
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References

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External links

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