TO Members of the RCRC Executive Committee

From: Mary-Ann Warmerdam, Senior Vice President, Governmental Affairs Sarah Dukett, Senior Policy Advocate

Date: October 10, 2025

Re: Proposition 50: Use of Legislative Congressional Redistricting Map Amendment, and Related Legislative Measures – ACTION

Summary This memo provides an overview of the recently scheduled special election, where California voters will decide on Proposition 50 regarding mid-decade redistricting. Following consultation with the RCRC Officers, this matter was before the Board of Directors on September 19, 2025, for board feedback prior to the Executive Committee considering a formal position.

Background Before the 2011 redistricting cycle, the California State Legislature drew the lines for state legislative seats and congressional seats. In 2008, voters passed Proposition 11, creating the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) to draw state districts. The commission was later expanded in 2010 to draw congressional lines, following voter approval of Proposition 20. The Commission is politically balanced – made up of five Democrats, five Republicans, and four not affiliated with either of those two parties. Commissioners are selected through a transparent application process where they are assessed on their impartiality, skills, and ability to reflect California’s demographic and geographic diversity. Districts are drawn based on ranked mapping criteria to ensure that our Constitution, federal and state laws are followed.

Redistricting is usually conducted only at the beginning of each decade, as new census numbers require changes to reflect population shifts. While mid-decade redistricting has been uncommon since the 1800’s, there were several such efforts in the mid-2000’s, and Supreme Court caselaw appears to recognize states’ authority to alter Congressional districts mid-cycle. More recently, several states are presently considering plans to revise their Congressional maps in advance of the 2026 elections, with the stated objective of affecting political party control of the House of Representatives. On August 29, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas signed House Bill 4 which is anticipated to result in Republicans gaining five more seats than under the current districting plan, and additional redistricting measures are reportedly under discussion in Indiana, Missouri, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Maryland.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has responded by moving forward with a plan that could allow California to counter other states’ actions with a redraw in California. On August 21, 2025, the California Legislature approved Governor Newsom’s proposal calling for a special election on a ballot measure that would temporarily suspend the state’s current congressional districts, which were drawn by an independent commission, and replace them with a map intended to favor Democrats. Redistricting of congressional lines will return to the commission for the 2031 maps. The measure would only take effect if another state moves forward with a mid-decade redistricting (which, as noted, has now occurred in Texas).

State Legislative Package The following measures comprise the Governor and Legislature’s redistricting package:

• Assembly Constitution Amendment (ACA) 8 (Rivas): Congressional redistricting – This proposed constitutional amendment would, if approved by the voters, temporarily implement new congressional districts pursuant to AB 604 (Aguiar-Curry and Gonzalez) that could take effect as soon as the 2026 elections. These districts would remain in force until the 2032 election. The bill includes provisions that the CRC shall continue to adjust the boundary lines of the congressional, State Senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts pursuant to its existing standards and processes in 2031, for first use in the 2032 election, and every 10 years thereafter.
• Assembly Bill (AB) 604 (Aguiar-Curry): Redistricting congressional districts – This bill contains the legal descriptions of California congressional districts that would be adopted pursuant to ACA 8. Visual maps can be viewed here. This bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.
• Senate Bill (SB) 280 (Cervantes): Elections – Calls a statewide special election to be held on November 4, 2025 (2025 special election) and requires ACA 8 (Rivas) and McGuire’s of the current legislative session to be submitted to the voters at that election. Specifies procedures for conducting the 2025 special election. Requires the impartial analysis of Proposition 50, prepared by the Legislative Analyst for the state voter guide, to include visual depictions of the 2021 congressional district maps and the congressional maps created by AB 604. Declares the intent of the legislature to ensure counties have sufficient funding to effectuate the 2025 special election. Appropriates an amount from the General Fund (GF) to the Controller for the actual and reasonably necessary costs, as determined by the Department of Finance (DOF) director, for the counties to conduct the 2025 special election, and appropriates an amount from the GF to the Secretary of State (SOS) for the actual and reasonably necessary costs, as determined by the DOF director, for the SOS to administer the 2025 special election. Prohibits a congressional candidate from choosing the word “incumbent” as their ballot designation for the 2026 primary election and makes related changes to candidate filing deadlines if the maps created by AB 604, of the current legislative session, become operative. This bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.

On August 21, 2025, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber assigned ACA 8 as Proposition 50 and set a November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election. The Voter Information Guide is available online and will be mailed to voters. County elections officials will begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots on or before October 6, 2025.

 

Issue

 

California’s Independent Redistricting Commission was established to eliminate potential political conflicts of interest by creating an independent commission to draw districts in a fair and impartial manner. Standards required of the CRC ensure that districts are drawn in a way that avoids dividing neighborhoods and communities. The CRC promotes fairness and public input, adhering to specific criteria to create electoral maps that are more representative of their communities and less prone to political manipulation. The CRC establishes sound governance principles that increase accountability, transparency, and centers on the voters. Undermining, even temporarily, the core principles of good governance erodes public trust and disproportionately impacts rural communities. While portions of the proposed maps within the legislative package mirror existing maps, numerous RCRC counties and rural communities of interest that have traditionally been grouped together during redistricting have been split into several congressional districts with more suburban and urban areas, diluting rural interests. By releasing one set of maps with four days for public discourse, the transparency and accountability pieces California has traditionally adhered to have been set aside.

It’s important to note that the temporary suspension of the redistricting commission only impacts the congressional districts. In contrast, the lines drawn for the legislature stay the same. And counties that the state has required to implement a local redistricting commission, will also remain the same.

Never before have a significant number of states simultaneously moved to redraw their congressional districts in the middle of a 10-year census cycle. Gerrymandering is generally seen as an attempt to predetermine election outcomes, which undermines the will of voters and is generally considered bad governance. Many states have moved to independent redistricting to draw lines to ensure fair maps. In addition, California Representative Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) introduced legislation (H.R. 4889) to prohibit mid-decade redistricting nationwide in an attempt to stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.

RCRC’s policy principles do not address congressional redistricting. The primary focus of the election policy principles is the election process for county officials. In the past, RCRC has weighed in on bills impacting the Fair Maps Act and the creation of local redistricting commissions because the bills were considered unfunded mandates with fiscal impacts. RCRC did not take a position on Proposition 11 (2008) or Proposition 20 (2010).

The legal and political landscape for Proposition 50 remains in flux, as statewide and national organizations continue to take positions on the matter, and at least two court challenges remain outstanding. To allow the situation to stabilize somewhat before taking action, it was determined in consultation with the RCRC officers, to place this matter on the October Executive Committee agenda for formal action regarding RCRC’s position on the measure, informed by feedback the Board provided on September 19. (The RCRC Bylaws empower the Executive Committee to “approve, by a two-thirds vote of the full membership, a support or oppose position on that proposition.”)