California voters have approved Proposition 50, a closely watched ballot measure that allows state lawmakers to temporarily bypass California’s independent redistricting commission and draw new congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The measure is being hailed as a significant political victory for Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats in a national redistricting landscape that has grown more combative and more strategic.
Decision Desk HQ called the race on Tuesday night, confirming that voters supported the proposal by a clear margin.
Proposition 50 allows California to rewrite its congressional map now, rather than waiting until after the 2030 Census.
The change is expected to produce four to five additional Democratic-leaning districts, potentially reshaping the balance of power in the House next cycle.
The move is temporary. The state’s independent redistricting commission, created to remove partisan influence from map drawing, will resume its authority after the next census.
But for now, Democrats have secured the ability to redraw lines in one of the largest and most influential states in the country.
The measure comes after Texas Republicans enacted a new GOP-friendly congressional map earlier this year, accelerating what many political analysts describe as a state-by-state redistricting arms race.
Both parties have begun exploring ways to redraw maps mid-decade, something once considered politically taboo.
California is the first state where Democrats have successfully executed a mid-cycle redistricting shift in response.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also played a key role in moving Proposition 50 forward, encouraging state leaders to take a more aggressive stance to maintain and grow Democratic representation in Congress.
The measure’s passage may mark one of the final major legislative pushes of Pelosi’s career, as she is expected to make an announcement about her political future later this week.
With Proposition 50 now approved, state lawmakers will begin the process of drafting the new congressional map, a process expected to begin in early 2026.
