YES ON PROP 50 - BACKGROUND AND FAQS
YES ON PROP 50 - BACKGROUND AND FAQS
Source: https://cadem.org/yes-on-proposition-50/
There’s an election coming up? When?
Yes! There’s a special election happening on Tuesday, November 4th. Just like the last couple of elections we’ve had in California, everyone will get a mail-inl ballot sent to their home in early October so you can conveniently vote by mail or drop off your ballot at a drop site.
2. What’s this election all about?
Donald Trump and Texas Republicans are making an unprecedented power grab to steal congressional seats and rig the 2026 election before voting even begins. Other Republican states are following suit. They want to grab enough seats to control Congress regardless of how the people vote. This isn’t politics as usual. It’s an emergency for our democracy. That’s why Governor Newsom and the State Legislature put Proposition 50 on the ballot, to counter Texas’ moves and fight back.
We’ve already seen how Trump has illegally imposed tariffs, causing prices to go up and hurting California families. He’s denied disaster assistance to fire victims and ordered mass deportations. The 2026 election for Congress is our only chance to provide an essential check and balance on Trump’s dangerous agenda. If Californians don’t act now, Donald Trump will seize total power for two more years – our families, our communities and our democracy can’t afford that.
3. How would this measure work?
These are the key parts of the plan that will be on the ballot for California voters to vote on:
Because Texas and possibly other Republican-held states are changing their district boundaries to elect more Republicans to Congress in next year’s 2026 elections, California will also temporarily change its boundaries to make it easier to elect more Democrats in next year’s elections. This will make the situation more fair on a national level and hopefully prevent Republicans from rigging the whole system to keep unlimited power for Trump for two more years.
The measure keeps California’s commitment to national redistricting reform. We would still have the California’s Citizen Redistricting Commission and they would go right back to regular redistricting after the 2030 census. This measure specifically declares it is California state policy to support the use of fair, nonpartisan redistricting commissions nationwide.
Any California district map changes are only in response to Republican actions in other states. If Texas and other Republican-held states had kept their own current maps, then we would have kept California’s current commission-drawn maps and nothing would change here.
4. This sounds kind of undemocratic to me. Isn’t this a slippery slope to having gerrymandered districts in California like the ones in Republican-controlled states?
Trump and Republicans don’t fight fair. Democrats need to recognize this and stop playing with one hand tied behind our backs. MAGA is trying to steal congressional seats in Texas and other GOP states to keep their majorities in Congress. We can’t afford to let that happen and there’s no way to stop it without California doing our part. It’s time to fight fire with fire. This is a fair and proportional response to what MAGA Republicans are doing nationwide.
Also, this move is temporary. Even though we have to do this right now to counter the national Trump agenda, this measure still keeps California committed to fair, non-partisan national redistricting reform. That’s why nobody is forcing us to do this here in California. Every registered voter in California will get to vote to decide if we should make this temporary change or not. And if Proposition 50 passes, we will go right back to having our California Citizen Redistricting Commission do their regular job redistricting after the 2030 census as usual.
5. Who’s supporting this ballot measure?
This measure is being put forward by California Governor Gavin Newsom and has strong Democratic and progressive support including:
President Barack Obama
CA Democratic Congressmembers including current House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries & former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi;
CA Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff;
Labor unions including the CA Federation of Labor, the CA Teachers Association and the SEIU CA State Council;
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
6. Who’s against this ballot measure?
Some of the biggest opponents of this measure are:
Charles Munger – rightwing billionaire who uses his private organization to block abortion access and target LGBTQ youth including promoting “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ youth and opposing same-sex marriage.
Carl DeMaio – CA Assemblymember who is one of Trump’s most vocal allies in California, supporting mass immigration round-ups, unlawful tariffs, and withholding CA emergency response money.
Thomas Hiltachk & his law firm – go-to lawyers for Trumps’s legal & election work in CA who have worked to bust unions and prevent Trump from having to disclose his tax returns as required by CA law.
7. I don’t like the way the maps were drawn for this measure, so why would I vote for it?
This isn’t politics as usual. It’s an emergency for our democracy. Each of us may have our own differing personal opinions about the details of how the maps were drawn or anything else about this measure, but the bottom line is that we are facing a national crisis. Here in California we need to do our part to stop Trump from getting two more years of unlimited power. Now is the time to set aside differences on the details and work together to save our democracy.
8. How and when can I vote in this Special Election?
Here are the key election dates:
The last day to register to vote for the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election is October 20, 2025. People can do same day registration but their ballot will not be counted until their voter registration form has been validated.
All California active registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election.
Your county elections office will begin mailing ballots by October 6, 2025.
Ballot drop-off locations open on October 7, 2025.
Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.
Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning on October 25, 2025.
Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12, 2025.
The timeline for saving our elections is very short: ballots are being mailed October 6th. Indivisible SF is conducting door-to-door canvassing for Prop 50. Door-to-door canvassing is the most effective way to motivate voters, and to gauge where the electorate stands on the issue. We’re specifically targeting registered independents and Democrats, so the conversations have been incredibly positive and friendly, with many canvassed householders volunteering to join our efforts. We need your help! Please sign up to join our canvassing efforts at https://www.mobilize.us/cadems/event/836321/. Haven’t canvassed before? No problem! Training will be provided, and all canvassing is done in pairs, so you’ll have the support and help of a partner.