Update: Proposition 50 Leads in Early Voting Returns, But Critics Warn of Power Grab in Redistricting

Kari Chilson
Nov 5, 2025
2 min read

Sacramento, CA – November 5, 2025 – Unofficial results from the Secretary of State show Proposition 50 maintaining strong momentum, with 64% of voters (5,154,529) supporting the measure and 36% (2,927,923) opposed. Certification is still 37 days away on December 12, 2025, leaving room for shifts as remaining ballots are processed.

What Proposition 50 Would Do

If passed, Prop. 50 would strip the independent, bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission of its authority to draw congressional maps until after the 2030 Census. Instead, new maps drawn by the state Legislature would take effect in 2026 and remain in place through 2030. The Commission — created by voters in 2008 and 2010 to keep politicians out of redistricting — would be blocked from drawing congressional maps for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. After the 2030 Census, it regains control in 2031.

YES on 50: “Emergency Counter to Trump & Texas”

(Source: https://cadem.org/yes-on-proposition-50-faq/)

Claims:

Direct response to Texas + Trump redrawing districts to gain GOP seats in Congress.
Levels the playing field for 2026 midterms — Democrats could gain up to 5 seats to block MAGA agenda.
Temporary & proportional — maps expire in 2030, going back to California’s award-winning independent system.
By putting Prop 50 to a vote, the power is in voters’ hands to approve emergency maps.
(Note: Voters approve the use of the maps, but the maps were drawn by the Legislature without public input).

Endorsed by:

Governor Gavin Newsom
President Barack Obama
Senators Alex Padilla & Adam Schiff
Nancy Pelosi, Hakeem Jeffries
CA Democratic Party, NAACP, Planned Parenthood, labor unions (CTA, SEIU, AFL-CIO)
Veterans, nurses, teachers

NO on 50: “Politicians Rigging Their Own Maps — Again”

(Source: https://NOonProp50.org)

Claims:

Reverses 2010 voter reform — hands map-drawing back to politicians.
Secret process — no public input, no transparency.
Extreme gerrymander — Experts call one of the two worst gerrymanders in 50 years.
Splits 141 cities, 114 counties; submerges 30% of rural voters in urban-dominated districts.
High costs to California taxpayers: $200 million for the special election, plus millions more for map updates (local governments pay upfront).
Returns California to a time when politicians drew districts for themselves guaranteeing election results weakening true democracy

"...we must keep California’s redistricting independent and help other states adopt citizen-run, transparent processes that put voters first. No on Prop 50.”
Carah Ong Whaley
Executive Director of Better Choices for Democracy