Proposition 50, a recent California ballot initiative, reflects both state politics and a larger national fight for control of Congress.
The proposition addresses congressional district borders, which have an impact on who is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and which party ultimately controls the House. Republicans hold a narrow majority right now.
Redistricting typically occurs once every ten years, following the U.S. Census, which is scheduled for 2030. In response to pressure from President Donald Trump, the Texas state legislature passed a new plan this year to increase the number of congressional seats for the Republican Party and maintain its majority, as previously reported by The Texas Tribune.
Gov. Gavin Newsom created Proposition 50 in an attempt to give Democrats a comparable advantage in California’s congressional elections and negate Texas’s action.
Newsom signed two bills to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats. Unlike Texas, California is supposed to use an independent redistricting commission composed of five Democrats, five Republicans and four independents. The commission aims to provide voters with equitable representation in the State Legislature and the House of Representatives by eliminating politics from the line-drawing process.
In order to create new maps for the upcoming elections, California officials require another vote from the people on Nov. 4. If approved, California would hold congressional elections through 2030 with the updated maps.
With a “yes” vote, California will use new congressional maps drawn by Democratic state officials through 2030, possibly nullifying Texas’s partisan maps and shifting the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
With a “no” vote, nothing would change, and California would continue to hold all congressional elections until 2030 using the congressional maps that were created by the independent commission.
Ultimately, Proposition 50 will determine whether California voters will continue the state’s long-standing tradition of nonpartisan redistricting or temporarily abandon it in the face of a national political battle.
Proponents say Proposition 50 is necessary to level the playing field and maintain our democracy
Proponents include prominent Democratic leaders at the state and federal levels, such as Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Nancy Pelosi. They claim that Proposition 50 is a necessary response to Trump’s intention to weaken democracy and enact more policies that do not accurately represent the wishes of the electorate.
“Proposition 50 is the only democratic, peaceful way to use the power of democracy to fight against autocracy,” said Tom Fulks, chairman of the Democratic Party of San Luis Obispo.
Before Proposition 50, Tom says that Republicans were complaining about how unfair the California Citizens Redistricting Commission is. He says that their current support for it is disingenuous and a smoke screen for their clear attempt to grab power.
Proponents argue that, in the long run, the proposal remains committed to California’s independent redistricting system because it will only be used until 2030.
“We don’t want this fight, and we didn’t choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight,” California Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman said, as California lawmakers approved the legislation on Aug. 18.
Proponents portray Proposition 50 as a targeted and timely defense of democratic fairness, aiming to safeguard the integrity of federal elections and California’s independent redistricting process.
“A smart, measured approach, designed to address a very particular problem in a very particular moment in time,” former President Barack Obama stated at an event for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
Opponents say Proposition 50 will result in the worst partisan gerrymander
Opponents include Republican leaders in California, such as former Secretary of State Bruce McPherson and Representative Young Kim. They argue that Democrats are asking voters to replace California Citizens Redistricting Commission-generated maps that produced fair elections with lines created by politicians. They argue that by allowing politicians to discreetly create maps behind closed doors, Proposition 50 eradicates public participation and transparency from the redistricting process, according to the Stop 50 campaign.
“A ‘no’ vote on Proposition 50, which, if passed, would end any possibility of fair elections in California,” said Randall Jordan, chairman of the Republican Party of San Luis Obispo.
He believes Proposition 50 would take the power away from citizens, as currently exercised in the independent citizens’ redistricting commission, and revert this power back to legislators, allowing them to gerrymander districts to favor one political party over another.
In 2008, voters decided the independent commission must stop redistricting in favor of party preference. Relinquishing this mandate back to the legislators would reduce competitive elections and strip constitutional protections.
“Once you take away the people’s power, you will never return it to them,” Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio said on the Assembly floor, as previously reported by The New York Times.
Opponents largely described Proposition 50 as a “power grab” by Newsom and other Democrats in the state government. They argue that reintroducing congressional maps created by politicians betrays the support of the California people for the establishment of the independent redistricting commission.
This story originally appeared in the October print edition of Mustang News. Check out more from the edition at news stands around campus and San Luis Obispo.
For more stories from the October print edition check out the featured print section on our website or the full issue.