California it’s Time to Vote Yes on Proposition 50.

​By now all California registered voters should have received a vote by mail ballot sent out by their county registrar of voters. There is only one measure on the ballot to be voted on, Proposition 50. I urge all California voters to vote for this important proposition without delay. It could mean the difference between fair elections in 2026 or an unprecedented power grab by the Republicans through a rigged election.     

Proposition 50: Authorizes temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas’ partisan redistricting.

A YES vote on this measure means that the state would use new, legislatively drawn congressional district maps starting in 2026. California’s new maps would be used until the California Citizens Redistricting Commission draws new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census.

A NO vote on this measure means that the current congressional district maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission would continue to be used in California until the Commission draws new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census.

Proposition 50 is in Direct Response to Texas Gerrymandering: In a democracy voters are supposed to choose politicians, the politicians are not supposed to choose the voters. Gerrymandering is the partisan effort to draw districts to favor one party and is a fact of life in America. Congress can end the practice, but there doesn’t seem to be the political will to do so.

Trump ignited the latest fire storm with a call to Texas Governor Abbott demanding that he find five more Republican congressional districts. The compliant governor and Texas legislature forced through newly drawn districts. Left unchallenged the Republicans would have the upper hand in the 2026 mid-term elections.

Governor Newsom spearheaded a redistricting effort in California to neutralize the Republican advantage in Texas.  A new congressional map was drawn with the potential of giving the Democrats five more congressional seats. But the power to redraw congressional maps in California lies with an independent commission, not with the governor or state legislature. To get around this hurdle Governor Newsom declared a special election for November 4 to ask the voters to approve the newly drawn congressional districts.   
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Naturally Republicans have cried foul on California’s move to go around the independent commission to gerrymander its congressional districts. But Republicans had the opportunity to support a Democratic piece of legislation during the last session of Congress which would have eliminated gerrymandering nationwide. But it wasn’t supported by a single Republican and failed.

Mail in Your Ballot Today: Once you complete and sign your ballot you can simply mail it in the postpaid envelope. You also have the option to place your completed ballot in an official ballot drop box by 8 pm on November 4, 2025, or you can drop it off at any voting center in your county by the time the polls close.
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If you don’t have a vote by mail ballot or prefer to vote in person, voting centers open starting October 25, and election day is November 4. 

For more information on Proposition 50, follow this link to the analysis by The California Legislature’s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor.
  

Gerrymandering is undemocratic and partisan politics at its worst. But in this case, I agree with Governor Newsom that “fighting fire with fire” is the only way to negate Texas’ blatant attempt to rig congressional elections. This is no time to take the high road and watch the Trump Party further erode our democracy. I will vote yes on Proposition 50. 


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Armchair American