California voters have approved [1] Proposition 50, a ballot measure that shifts the state’s congressional redistricting authority from an independent commission to the Democratic-controlled legislature and governor’s office.
The Associated Press called the race immediately after polls closed on Tuesday night, signaling a decisive victory for Democrats.
The measure, which passed comfortably, will allow state lawmakers to draw a new congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Supporters of Proposition 50, including Governor Gavin Newsom, argued that the change would modernize the state’s redistricting process. Critics, however, warned that the move dismantles nearly two decades of independent oversight intended to prevent partisan gerrymandering.
California currently has 52 U.S. House seats, of which 43 are held by Democrats.
Under the new process, projections indicate the state could gain up to five additional seats likely to favor Democrats once the revised boundaries are enacted.
Governor Newsom championed the measure as part of a broader package of electoral initiatives aimed at “streamlining government and expanding representation.”
His office celebrated the passage of Proposition 50 shortly after results were announced, calling it “a mandate from the people to move California forward.”
The state’s independent redistricting commission was established in 2008 through a voter-approved measure backed by reform groups and bipartisan coalitions.
The commission had been widely viewed as a national model for nonpartisan mapmaking, designed to prevent either major political party from manipulating district boundaries for advantage.
Proposition 50 effectively removes that safeguard, returning control to elected officials in Sacramento.
The campaign opposing Proposition 50 was largely financed by Charles Munger Jr., a longtime advocate for redistricting reform who helped fund the original effort to create the independent commission.
Munger expressed disappointment over Tuesday’s result but urged Californians to continue holding their leaders accountable.
“For what looms for the people of California, I am saddened by the passage of Proposition 50,” Munger said in a statement.
“But I am content in this, at least: that our campaign educated the people of California so they could make an informed, if, in my view, unwise, decision about such a technical but critical issue as redistricting reform, a decision forced to be made over such a very short time.”
Election analysts note that the approval of Proposition 50 marks a major change in California’s political landscape.
By transferring redistricting power back to the legislature, Democrats in Sacramento will now be able to reshape congressional boundaries without requiring bipartisan input.
The implications of the measure are expected to extend beyond state politics. National observers believe the new districts could strengthen Democratic control of California’s House delegation and help the party maintain or expand its majority in Congress after the 2026 elections.
Supporters of Proposition 50 argue that the change aligns with similar practices in other large states, where legislatures traditionally control redistricting.
Opponents counter that the measure reverses years of progress toward transparency and fairness in how political boundaries are drawn.
The new redistricting process is set to begin in early 2025, once the legislature formally establishes guidelines for the updated map. Implementation will likely conclude before candidate filing deadlines for the 2026 congressional elections.
With the passage of Proposition 50, California becomes one of the few states to abolish an independent redistricting body after its creation, signaling a return to a politically driven system that reform advocates warn could shape national politics for years to come.