Why California voters should reject Prop. 50 and stay out of the redistricting wars

On Nov. 4, California voters will decide whether the state should 
temporarily adopt a Democratic gerrymander of its congressional maps to 
combat similar efforts in red states, or choose to stand down. Below, a 
former redistricting commissioner says Proposition 50 is not the model of 
responsible government Californians deserve. The opposing view: A member 
of the latest redistricting commission argues it is shortsighted for 
Californians to think only about California right now.

In 2008, the Voters First Act created California’s Citizens Redistricting 
Commission, an independent body consisting of people who reflected the 
state’s diversity. Good government groups pushed the ballot measure 
forward, seeking to make sure voters were — as the law’s name declared — 
put first. I served on the first commission two years later.

Voter approval of an independent commission effectively ended the backroom 
partisan gerrymandering that characterized redistricting in California for 
decades.

Commission members spent nearly a year drawing new maps, giving citizens 
access to more than 100 public meetings and different ways to submit 
written comments. Voters could describe their communities, their 
environment, their infrastructure and their economy. This gave the 
commission a picture of the whole of California and helped it create 
districts that gave voters a fair chance at electing accountable 
representatives.

California’s commission is now considered the gold standard for U.S. 
redistricting, free of partisan self-interest and conducted fully in 
public view.

If only Texas could learn from California. There, lawmakers adopted new 
maps in August in an attempt to rig the 2026 election in favor of 
Republicans — at the behest of President Donald Trump. Their actions 
represent the basest motivations of politicians so fearful of losing 
power, all they can think to do is cheat.

Their determination to stack the congressional deck prompted Gov. Gavin 
Newsom to pursue retaliatory mid-cycle redistricting in California to 
elect more Democrats. It’s now in the hands of voters in a special 
election on Nov. 4. Proposition 50 would replace the maps drawn by the 
state’s independent commission with districts drawn by legislators solely 
to gain or protect Democratic seats. And that protection will extend 
through three election cycles.

That is hardly a temporary change.

As a registered Democrat, I would celebrate replacing members of Congress 
who have forgotten their oath to serve constituents and protect the 
Constitution. But it can’t be at the expense of California’s Constitution 
— nor its voters who mandated fair, nonpartisan redistricting.

Newsom said the move by Texas Republicans justifies a retaliatory strike. 
But we witness daily the chaos and mistrust created by revenge politics in 
Washington. That is not the model of responsible government Californians 
deserve. Nor do Californians want to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to 
gamble that different congressional districts will produce the sought-
after change, while real problems remain unaddressed.

No one knows the magic number of blue seats needed to win this electoral 
war, especially as more red states jump in beside Texas. Is the governor 
willing to risk losing incumbents in more competitive California 
districts? Will he accept failure if Democrats fall short nationwide?

This is not an unprecedented moment. We’ve seen for decades how partisan 
gerrymandering suppresses voters’ choice, undermining trust and feeding 
cynicism. We know that once given power, politicians will fight to retain 
it with the confidence that a declaration of crisis is all the cover they 
need.

Newsom should look for a different response to redistricting warfare.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, for example, proposed legislation to ban mid-decade 
redistricting nationwide. I don’t know what brought Kiley, a Placer County 
Republican, to this moment. Perhaps it’s self-preservation under the 
threat of being gerrymandered out of his seat. But considering a national 
solution to a national problem would be a welcome undertaking.

Newsom says Democrats can take back Congress if the American people are 
given a fair chance, a voice and a choice. In California, the people 
already have that chance, and it’s the independent redistricting 
commission.

Californians can send a clear message to Newsom and legislative leaders on 
Nov. 4 to respect the will of the people and not sacrifice the independent 
redistricting commission, nor the state’s limited financial resources, for 
short-term political gain.

https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/09/california-voters-reject-prop-
50-redistricting/