California Votes on Redistricting Measure Aimed at Countering GOP Maps

Californians head to the polls Tuesday to decide whether the state should temporarily redraw its congressional districts — a move Democrats say is needed to offset Republican-led gerrymandering in Texas pushed by former president Donald Trump.

Governor Gavin Newsom is backing “Proposition 50,” which would grant Democrats as many as five additional House seats ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Supporters argue the measure simply restores balance after Texas Republicans approved a map designed to preserve their narrow congressional majority.

Republicans, however, call the proposal a blatant power grab that would further marginalize the party in a state where Democrats already dominate. The vote, wrote Los Angeles Times columnist Mark Barabak, is “a political ink-blot test” — either a fair response to GOP tactics or an effort to finish off the California Republican Party.

Redistricting in the U.S. typically follows the once-a-decade census, but California transferred map-drawing authority to an independent commission under former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Proposition 50 would override that system until the next census, reinstating partisan control over district lines.

As with most U.S. political battles, the shadow of Trump looms large. A major ad campaign urges voters to “Stick it to Trump,” depicting him angrily binge-eating fast food while watching election results. For some Democratic voters, the measure is overdue retaliation. For opponents, it’s a sign Newsom is “rigging the system.”

Polls show the initiative is likely to pass, giving Newsom a high-profile victory he could use if — as widely expected — he runs for president in 2027. With confidence, he has already told donors they can “stop giving” ahead of Tuesday’s vote.