On Nov. 4, California will hold a special election to vote on Proposition 50, a proposed amendment to the California Constitution that would enable a temporary, partisan redistricting of congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The new district map would remain in place through the 2030 midterm elections, after which new districts will be drawn based on the 2030 census.

Prop 50, officially titled the “Election Rigging Response Act,” is a controversial ballot measure proposed by California Democrats in response to Texas Republicans’ sudden and unconventional redistricting in August of this year that shifts five of the state’s House of Representatives seats from Democrat to Republican.

Per the California Democratic Party’s website, Prop 50 is a “direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

Texas’ redistricting bill was passed via a special legislative session, in response to President Donald Trump encouraging Governor Greg Abbott to enact a nontraditional, mid-decade redistricting. The bill itself was controversial, causing Texas Democrats to flee the state for two weeks in protest to avoid a vote.

The new map was drafted by a private firm, Redistricting Partners, instead of the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission that traditionally draws maps based on United States Census Bureau data. If the proposition is not passed, California will continue using the current maps from 2021 until the 2030 Census.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, Prop 50’s new map focuses on California’s more competitive districts and is projected to give Democrats five additional seats in the House in the upcoming midterms. Despite the shift in partisan representation within districts, the PPIC has found that the racial demographics of these proposed districts is similar to current districts.

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What is at stake?

The Prop 50 map stands to change the geographic boundaries of California’s congressional districts, most affecting the elections related to the House of Representatives. Each district elects one representative, meaning these map lines easily influence which political party gains more power in Congress.

Arguments for a “Yes” vote

The California Democratic Party frames Prop 50 as a response to a national gerrymandering threat by Republicans and the Trump administration. According to their “Yes on 50” FAQ, a “yes” vote would solidify California as a frontline member of a “nationwide commitment to fair and impartial maps.”

“Prop 50 makes sure the 2026 midterm elections are conducted on a level playing field without an unfair advantage for Republicans,” the FAQ says.

Additionally, CADEM argues that the proposed emergency maps are “only because Republicans moved forward with their power grab.”

Proponents of Prop 50 also argue that Texas’ recent redistricting is unreasonably partisan, given that their new congressional maps have been drafted by partisan state legislators. Similarly to California’s regular redistricting process, the maps for Prop 50 were drafted by an independent firm.

Prominent supporters of Prop 50 include Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla and Sen. Adam Schiff.

So how would a “Yes” vote affect Californians?

According to the current plan, the new boundaries would help Democrats secure up to five more seats in the House.

Sacramento State University falls under House District 7, whose border falls along the Sacramento River. The Sacramento region is split between Congressional Districts 4, 5, 6 and 7. If the prop is adopted, the borders of these districts will change.

This can affect who represents Sac State students in the U.S. House of Representatives. For students, this can have indirect effects of representation, civic engagement and how well college students are represented in the government. The closest change to Sacramento would be 14 miles away in Lodi, which would be split among three districts under Prop 50.

A “yes” vote would also impact the state financially, as a lot of voting material has to be edited and redacted to follow the new map.

Arguments for a “No” vote

Prop 50’s main opposition stems from the California Republican Party. The California GOP describes Prop 50 as an impediment to California’s election fairness by removing the independently-created congressional districts that have been in place since the 2020 redistricting.

According to the CAGOP “Prop 50: Vote No” webpage, “Californians created the gold standard for fair elections: independent, citizen-led redistricting […] Prop 50 would tear that down, even temporarily, and hand the power back to Sacramento politicians.”

Reform California, a conservative grassroots organization led by State Assemblyman Carl Demaio, has also fundraised for the “No on 50” campaign. Reform California’s top reasons to vote against Prop 50 are that it “allows politicians to seize power from citizens, permits corrupt backroom deals” and it “wastes $200 million on a costly special election.”

The “No on 50” website says that other major opponents of Prop 50 include former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Secretary of State Bruce McPherson and multiple members of the independent CRC.

How would a “No” vote affect Californians?

The current congressional map would remain intact until the 2030 census, seeing no change until then. This would keep Sacramento State University under District 7. This would also mean that there would be no financial impact on the state and will avoid redistricting-related expenses.

When and where to vote

The general election for Prop 50 takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 4, but registered Californians can submit vote-by-mail ballots at any time from now until polls close. California also permits same-day voter registration; eligible Californians may register or change their voter registration at the local elections office or vote center at any point from now, up to and including Election Day.

Sac State students can turn in their ballots via mail, at the ballot drop box on campus or vote in person at the Sac State Vote Center in Modoc Hall.

Additional reporting by Anita Ratna Gautam