California will hold a statewide special election on Nov. 4, featuring a single proposition that asks residents to decide whether to redistrict and create a new emergency congressional map from 2026 through 2030.
Proposition 50, or the Election Rigging Response Act, directly responds to similar mid-cycle redistricting in Texas that Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law in August.
The Republican National Committee hopes the new district lines in Texas will deliver five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Redistricting typically occurs every decade after the federal census to account for population changes. But as seen in Texas this summer, both political parties now use redistricting as a tool for partisan gain.
The California Democratic Party (CADEM) hopes to offset the five seats the GOP will gain in Texas if Proposition 50 passes. “Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda,” the party said.
Some residents have raised concerns about the fiscal responsibility of this special election, which will cost taxpayers $200 million, according to Reform California. Proposition 50 ranks as the 10th most costly proposition in California history, according to CalMatters. However, not all costs will fall on taxpayers. Donors have already raised $138 million, and Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to transfer funds from his gubernatorial campaign to help finance the measure.
The official voter information guide notes that the fiscal impact will include “one-time costs to counties of up to a few million dollars statewide to update election materials to reflect new congressional district maps.”
Opponents of Proposition 50 want to keep the current system, in which an independent redistricting commission redraws maps every decade. The measure “takes redistricting power away from citizens and gives that power back to politicians so they can manipulate district lines for their own personal political benefit,” according to Reform California.
CADEM and the voter information guide emphasize that, if approved, the redistricting would be temporary. They describe the measure as creating “emergency congressional district maps to counter Donald Trump’s scheme to rig next year’s congressional election” and reaffirming California’s commitment to independent, nonpartisan redistricting after the next census.
The Oak Leaf Editorial Board supports Proposition 50 as a step toward ensuring free and fair elections and will vote YES to protect democracy for the future.