Hello, friends and enemies! Surprise, there’s a special election this year. We are voting on exactly one statewide proposition this year, just to keep things spicy. As usual, I have some information about the logistics of the election then my evaluation of the ballot.
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Reminders and Resources for California Voters
- Everyone in California will get a ballot in the mail this election! You do not have to go to a polling place if you don’t want to.
- Register to vote. The last day to register is Monday, October 20. You can still register after October 20, but you need to use the same-day voter registration form.
- Check your voter status online: https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/
- Ballot drop-off locations will be open on election day, Tuesday, November 4 in all counties, and in many counties for the ten days before the election. See where you can vote or drop off your paper ballot: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place
- Remember to sign your ballot envelope!
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on politics or government. I’m just a person who’s good at reading and looking things up. If you trust my judgment, you can vote how I vote. You can also use my guide as a starting point for your own research.
Proposition 50
My vote: Yes
AUTHORIZES TEMPORARY CHANGES TO CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT MAPS IN RESPONSE TO TEXAS’ PARTISAN REDISTRICTING. LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Proposition 50 is a completely partisan initiative that asks us to vote on a political strategy, rather than any sort of policy change. The Los Angeles Times describes this proposition as “part of a spiraling national fight over redistricting … that could determine the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 election.” No pressure! If Proposition 50 passes, California will redraw the state’s congressional districts earlier than is typical. States normally adjust district boundaries every ten years after receiving updated population data from the census, and California’s current districts are based on the 2020 census.
Why is California interested in redistricting five years early? It has to do with the balance of power in Congress and political drama that started in Texas. In July, Trump let it be known that he wanted “Texas Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional maps to create more House seats favorable to his party, part of a broader effort to help the GOP retain control of the chamber in next year’s midterm elections.” Traditionally, the president’s party loses control of Congress during midterm elections (this year’s election is a midterm election) and Trump is deeply unpopular. This is a serious risk for Trump and the Republicans because they only narrowly control the House of Representatives with 219 congresspeople compared to Democrats’ 213. Texas is having a special election this year too with the goal of gaining five congressional seats for the Republicans (and eliminating five for Democrats). In response, Governor Newsom and California Democrats proposed redistricting California to counteract Texas, developing a redistricting plan that would result in five additional seats for Democrats (and five fewer for Republicans).
Passing Proposition 50 would create new congressional district maps for elections between now and 2030, and then, assuming there isn’t a change to the law in the meantime, control of mapping the districts would return to California’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which has been mapping the state’s congressional districts since 2010. You can see maps of the current and proposed districts on the California Legislative Analyst’s Office website. CalMatters also has a handy tool to check if your district will change if Prop 50 passes.
Something I always like to consider when evaluating how to vote is who is spending money on this. According to Ballotpedia, basically all the major Democratic party groups are paying in to support Proposition 50, as well as various trade groups like teachers and nurses. The biggest contribution from either side has come from Charles Munger, Jr. who has spent over $30 million opposing the legislation and seems to be buddies with former governor Schwarzenegger and with Trump.
I think the big ethical question here is whether Proposition 50 is just a fun new way to gerrymander. Even if it is, is it worth potentially making voting less fair to prevent Republicans from solidifying control in the House of Representatives for the rest of Trump’s presidency? In less than a year, Trump and his allies have already implemented about half of the policies laid out in Project 2025, the 900-page conservative policy fantasy that calls for things like eliminating foreign aid and ending no-fault divorce. How much more damage could Trump do with a large Republican majority in Congress? There’s no way to know at this point, but considering the speed at which the Trump administration has moved this year, it seems like the results could be dire. I do feel somewhat nihilistic and wonder if keeping some Republicans out of congress is even going to help us. Are we past the point of being able to vote our way out of the current troubles? I am inclined to think we are. However, if this has the possibility to stanch the bleeding, I do think it’s worthwhile. Any opportunity to limit suffering is one we should take.
In conclusion:
