Proposition 50 explained

There is only one statewide measure on the ballot for this year’s special election. Voters will decide on Proposition 50, which, if approved, would temporarily change the district maps in California.

Voting “Yes” will allow a redrawing of congressional district maps starting in 2026 to 2030.

Voting “No” will keep district maps made by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission until 2030.

Here is everything you need to know about Proposition 50, officially known as The Election Rigging Response Act, before election day Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Background

Texas Legislature passed a redistricting bill in Aug. that changes the state’s congressional districts. The new map (adopted for the 2026 elections) gives potential for five of Texas’s House of Representatives seats to shift from Democrat to Republican.

The U.S House of Representatives is currently comprised of 435 seats with 219 Republicans, 213 Democrats and three vacancies.

Texas holds the second-highest number of seats, second to California, at 38.

Initiated by Gov. Gavin Newsom following Texas’s redistricting, claiming an unfair advantage to the Republican Party, Proposition 50 is a response to “fight fire with fire.”

California holds 52 seats out of 435 in the U.S House of Representatives. Out of the 52 representatives, 43 are Democrats and nine are Republicans.

To combat Texas’s potential new seats, Proposition 50 aims to flip five Republican-held seats to Democrats.

How does this affect us?

If adopted, Proposition 50 would have new congressional district maps not drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The maps would be used for the 2026 election and would be updated following the 2030 U.S Census.

The Commission is in charge of drawing new congressional district maps following federal and state laws. The last updated congressional district map followed the 2020 U.S. Census and was used in the 2022 congressional elections.