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[ONLINE] California Proposition 50 on Congressional Redistricting

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[ONLINE] California Proposition 50 on Congressional Redistricting

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On November 4, 2025, Californians will be asked to vote on Proposition 50, the Use of Legislative Congressional Redistricting Map Amendment. This proposition would authorize the state to use a new congressional district map specified in Assembly Bill 604. The new map would be used to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives in the elections from 2026 through 2030. It would replace the existing congressional district map that was adopted by the Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2021 for elections from 2022 through 2030.

BACKGROUND:

  • Since 2010, the boundaries of congressional districts in California have been decided by the state's Citizens Redistricting Commission. These maps are adjusted every 10 years, following each census.
  • Redistricting every 10 years is the usual practice in every state, but in August 2025, the Republican-controlled Texas State Legislature approved a new congressional district map with a purpose explained by one of its co-authors: “the underlying goal of this plan is straight forward: improve Republican political performance.” WIth current voting patterns, the new Texas map is expected to increase the number of Republican House members from that state by up to 5.
  • In response, Califiornia's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed to modify California's congressional district map in order to increase the number of Democrats elected to the House. As he has put it, Prop 50 "will nullify what happens in Texas. We [Democrats] will pick up five seats with the consent of the people, and that is the difference between the approach we’re taking and the approach [Texas Republicans are] taking."
  • (Since 2006, every member elected to the House has been either a Republican or a Democrat. The last time any district in California elected a member of the House who was neither a Republican nor a Democrat was in 1936.)

ARGUMENTS FOR THE MOTION:

  • Gov. Newsom: "California will not sit idle as Trump and his Republican lapdogs shred our country’s democracy before our very eyes. In just six months, Trump’s unchecked power has cost Americans billions and taken an ax to the greatest democracy we’ve ever known. This moment calls for urgency and action – that is what we are putting before voters this November, a chance to fight back against his anti-American ways."
  • Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-2): "This is about more than drawing lines on a map; it’s about drawing a line in the sand to stop Texas and Trump from rigging the election. This is about protecting the people of the Golden State, our democracy, and making sure voters have a say."
  • State Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur (D-51): "You don’t go into a fight where the other side has a machine gun and respond with a butter knife. The cost of this is a very small percentage compared to what is sort of at risk if we continue to allow a Congress in place that is really following the direction of an administration that’s aimed at punishing California."

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE MOTION:

  • Charles T. Munger Jr., primary funder of No on 50 campaign: "Democratic politicians should seek to channel voter outrage at Texas Republicans’ efforts to game the system into election results. By doing so, they could flip hitherto unreachable seats currently held by Republicans and overcome the Texas gerrymander. But if Democratic politicians try to gerrymander California, then they lose the moral high ground. ... If our nation devolves into competing efforts to gerrymander, we will lose the ability to fight back against overreach by either party. Sadly, instead of focusing on flipping seats, Governor Newsom has chosen to undermine one of California’s most significant reforms."
  • Jessica Millan Patterson, former chairperson of the California Republican Party: "California voters have already said no to Prop 50. They did that when they put the Citizens Redistricting Commission on the ballot back in 2010 and passed it overwhelmingly. California voters believe that the power to draw district lines should reside with the people. It should not be given to politicians in Sacramento where they get to choose who their constituents are. Constituents should be choosing their representatives."
  • Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-3): "It’s about power. We know that it’s about power on both sides, rigging congressional districts to get partisan results. That’s what a gerrymander is. … You move forward fighting fire with fire, and what happens? You burn it all down. In this case, it affects our most fundamental American principle: representation."

FURTHER READING:
See Ballotpedia's comprehensive treatment at https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_50%2C_Use_of_Legislative_Congressional_Redistricting_Map_Amendment_%282025%29

AGENDA FOR THIS MEETUP:

  • Initial vote (typically about 5 minutes): We go around the room asking everyone for their initial position on Prop 50 -- Yes, No, or Abstain. You may also say very briefly why you are voting this way, or what you hope to hear more about at the debate.
  • Opening statement for the motion (6 minutes): A speaker will present arguments in favor of Prop 50.
  • Opening statement against the motion (6 minutes): Another speaker will present arguments against Prop 50.
  • Moderated floor debate (about 1 hour and 15 minutes): Here's where you get to make your voice heard, as well as listen to everyone else's voices in the room. Everyone gets a chance to speak, and is encouraged to do so, but no one is required to speak if they don't want to. A moderator will make sure that only one person is speaking at a time, and that nobody speaks for more than 2 minutes at a time.
  • Closing statement against the motion (3 minutes): The speaker against the motion will sum up arguments against it.
  • Closing statement for the motion (3 minutes): The speaker in favor of the motion will sum up arguments in favor.
  • Final vote (typically 5 to 10 minutes): We go around the room asking everyone for their final vote on the motion -- Yes, No, or Abstain. You may say briefly why you are voting this way, what arguments you heard that you found compelling, or what you changed your mind about (if anything).
  • 9:00 p.m. is the debate's hard end time. People are welcome to stick around to continue discussing the issue, or ideas for future debates, or anything else.

Our meeting will be conducted on Zoom. The Zoom link will be visible here on the event page before the event to those who RSVP. It's your choice if you want to turn on your camera or not, but people who can be seen are often more persuasive.

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