On Nov. 4, following a special statewide election, Proposition 50 was passed, approving the use of new congressional maps and bypassing the California Citizens Redistricting Commission through the year 2030.

As of Nov. 6, 5,681,795 (63.9 percent) Californians voted yes on Prop. 50, with 3,214,460 (36.1 percent) voting no.

The proposition, titled “The Election Rigging Response Act,” approves the use of redrawn congressional maps from 2026 through 2030. Proponents of the bill argue it is a necessary step as several other states, including Texas, make moves to redistrict ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Texas was the first state to move towards mid-decade redistricting. On Aug. 29, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot signed new congressional maps into law which heavily favor Republicans and target districts that are currently represented by Democrats. 

Detractors say that Prop. 50 makes elections less fair as it bypasses the California Citizens Redistricting Commission which was established in 2008 with Prop. 11 and was given power over congressional districts following the passage of Prop. 20 in 2010.

The redistricting commission seeks to eliminate bias by including five Democrats, five Republicans, and four independents.

“The 14-member Commission is made up of five Republicans, five Democrats, and 4 not affiliated with either of those two parties. The Commission must draw the district lines in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create districts of relatively equal population that will provide fair representation for all Californians,” reads the commission’s website 

Prop. 50 contains a provision to return power to the independent redistricting commission in January 2030.

“California has always been progressive in this regard,” said Dr. Joel Blank, professor of political science at Delta College, citing California’s history of progressive voter rights policy.

“We introduced the initiative, the recall, and the referendum [systems] and no other state has ever gotten all three,” said Blank, talking about several of the processes California has introduced that aimed to expand the representation of voters in our democracy. 

For many, Prop. 50 represents a step back in terms of representation on the congressional level and could further legitimize gerrymandering.

“I feel like it will start normalizing gerrymandering,” said Jakob Castanon-Krall, a political science major at San Joaquin Delta College. “I don’t like gerrymandering whether it’s Republican or Democrat. I feel like it’s demeaning of our democracy.”

While others also voiced disapproval of the practice of gerrymandering, they thought that the fact that it was voted on lessened the sting.

“At least California got a choice in the matter,” said Jay Reyes, another political science major. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, but in this case Texas didn’t give the people a choice.”

Prop. 50 is also already facing legal challenges from Republicans who claim the new congressional lines discriminate in favor of Latinos.

“California Legislature violated the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution when it drew new congressional district lines based on race, specifically to favor Hispanic voters, without cause or evidence to justify it,”  claims the lawsuit filed on Nov. 5 by several parties including the Republican Party of California in the Central District Court of California.

The justice department has also sued in in the Central District Court of California to stop new redistricting maps with attorney general Pam Bondi claiming in a post to X that Prop. 50 is race-based gerrymandering.

“California Democrats are openly gerrymandering by race in this case. That’s immoral and illegal.” claims Bondi in a Nov. 13 post quoting her announcement of the lawsuit.