Minutes after polls closed, the Associated Press called the race for California’s Proposition 50, which will change the state’s congressional district boundaries.
The change will make it easier for Democrats to flip five seats currently held by Republicans in next year’s midterm elections.
Both Republican- and Democratic-led states are redrawing maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina have redrawn maps to favor Republicans, while California’s Proposition 50 benefits Democrats. A judge in Utah has ordered a redraw that will likely favor Democrats, and several other states are discussing potential redistricting as well.
In Missouri, opponents of the new map are pursuing a referendum petition, which would require a state vote to approve the new map. Texas is also awaiting a court ruling on its new map after Democrats filed a suit claiming the new map is racially gerrymandered.
That national trend accelerated after US President Trump said in July that Republicans in Texas deserved more congressional seats, citing his large margin of victory in the 2024 election. Then, in August, Texas passed a new map favoring Republicans.
California’s redistricting measure was championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a response to Trump’s encouragement of gerrymandering in other states, though opponents argue it undermines California’s independent redistricting process.
Redistricting usually occurs once every 10 years, following a US Census. The new lines approved by Proposition 50 will stay in place through the 2030 election, at which point the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will assume redistricting responsibilities.
Critics say that off-cycle redistricting is often driven by partisan interest and reduces fairness. Supporters say that it updates maps to reflect changing populations and, in this case, balances seats lost when other states redistrict.
