A Voter Guide to California’s Special Election
Photo by Miranda Duarte
Learn the details of what is on the ballot for this statewide election: Proposition 50
On November 4, Californian voters will have the opportunity to decide the future of the state’s congressional district map. Proposition 50—or more formally called the “Election Rigging Response Act”—is the ballot measure that will appear in the mail of Californian voters, which will also contain important information regarding the election. Those that support Prop 50 view it as a necessary step to stand up to President Trump—who has called on Texas Republicans to redraw its map to biasedly favor Republicans. Those that oppose it however, see Prop 50 as nothing more than a power grab by politicians to undermine California’s election system.
Beginning on October 6, registered Californian voters should have received vote-by-mail ballots. If voters choose to vote in-person, early in-person voting locations will open on October 25. Ballots must be cast by 8 p.m. on November 4. If any Californian is interested and eligible to vote, the last day to register is October 20. However, citizens can still register to vote through same-day registration. Anyone could still register and vote at the nearest county office or polling place up to and including on Election Day.
The reason for this special election—as the name of the ballot measure suggests—is a response to Texas redistricting in order to make only Republicans win congressional seats. According to Vote Forward, Prop 50 is a constitutional amendment countermeasure against Texas and other states' partisan redistricting efforts. The main justification that Democrats are using for this ballot is to defend democracy from President Trump’s desire to undermine election integrity. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the Trump administration has been attempting to rewrite election laws, skew election maps, and burden voters with rules to lower participation in elections. For some Californian Democrats, this is seen as the last resort to counter Trump’s control over Congress.
The argument against Prop 50 is that gerrymandering—which is the manipulation of electoral districts that give a political party or group of people an advantage—erodes democracy and lets politicians, not voters, decide the outcome of elections. According to Reform California, this ballot measure is a power grab to let politicians rig the system, remove bipartisan redistricting, and eliminate competitive elections. The fiscal concern about this special election is that it will cost $200 million – that is being spent to update election materials – while the state faces a $20 billion budget deficit. The main issue some have with the ballot is that gerrymandering by nature corrupts and damages the integrity of elections. Prop 50 is proclaimed to be a shield for democracy, but divides neighborhoods, weakens voices of communities, and a waste of taxpayer money.
According to Governor Newsom, Prop 50 is meant to level the playing field for the upcoming 2026 mid-term elections. Because Texas went forward with its redistricting to eliminate as many Democratic congressional seats as possible, Prop 50 aims to make elections fair and proportional. The other notable aspect about the redistricting is that it is meant to be temporary – this map expires in 2030 when the decennial U.S. Census redraws districts to be proportional.
If this proposed congressional map does pass, it will affect Stockton. Currently, Stockton is part of California’s 9th congressional district. However, in the Prop 50 map, Stockton would be divided between the 9th and 13th districts—most of downtown Stockton would become part of the 13th congressional district. If Prop 50 was to pass, some residents in the city may have a different congressperson representing them.
In summary, Californian voters are faced with two choices. A “yes” means to approve the redistricting measures to potentially give Democrats an advantage in Congress. While a “no” means that the congressional district lines should remain the same, potentially giving Republicans redistricting in other states an advantage in Congress.
Ultimately, Prop 50 is up to the voters. Whether California should redraw its maps or keep the status quo, whatever the outcome may be, democracy lies in the hands of the people. Go out and vote!
View the interactive map of the proposed congressional districts here: https://aelc.assembly.ca.gov/proposed-congressional-map
Sources:
https://www.reformcalifornia.org/campaigns/no-on-prop-50-defend-fair-elections