Statewide Special Election Set for November 4
The California Legislature has voted to put Proposition 50 on the ballot in a statewide special election called solely for the purpose of redrawing California’s 52 Congressional districts. The measure would change California’s constitution to allow mid-decade redistricting for the first time in California history.
Proposition 50 would replace the current Congressional district maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The new maps, drawn by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, would remain in place until the 2032 election when new census information becomes available.
The proposed Congressional district maps are designed to increase the number of Democrats representing California from 43 to 48. Correspondingly, the maps would reduce the number of Republicans representing California from 9 members to 4. In addition, the number of competitive districts would be reduced from 9 districts to 2. This would dramatically lessen California’s ability to influence the outcome in national Congressional elections.
In 2008, California voters passed the Voters First Act which created the California Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. In 2010, voters gave the Commission the authority to draw California’s Congressional districts. The current maps drawn by the Commission were required to comply with certain constitutionally mandated criteria:
- Respect for geographical integrity of cities, counties and communities of interest
- Geographic compactness
- Prohibition on consideration of place of residence of incumbents
- Prohibition on drawing maps to favor or disfavor any political party
- Requirement that the Commission issue a report that explains the basis upon which the Commission made its decisions in drawing maps
Proposition 50 overturns these voter approved reforms and removes the requirement that Congressional districts comply with the above criteria.
Finally, the California Constitution currently prohibits those who draw and vote on Congressional district maps from running for the offices whose lines they drew. Proposition 50 would remove that restriction. As a result, elected officials who drew and voted for the new maps can actually run in the districts they drew.
The California Republican Party has launched a campaign to mobilize Republican volunteers to become social media influencers to help defeat Proposition 50. You can get updates directly from the CRP by following them on X, Instagram and Facebook. You can then repost and share these messages with your friends, family and social media networks. The upcoming CRP convention September 5-7 will focus on the tools and training to enable volunteers to effectively participate in the No on 50 campaign.
Proposition 50 puts the politicians back in charge of drawing their own districts. For more information visit www.votersfirstact.org or www.stop50.org. Vote No on Proposition 50.
