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Newsom signs legislation advancing California redistricting special election
California lawmakers passed a legislative package Thursday advancing a partisan redistricting plan aimed at winning Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 elections. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the legislation Thursday afternoon.
OAKLAND, Calif. - There's one topic currently dominating California's political landscape: Proposition 50, an effort to redraw the state's congressional maps in order to create five new Democratic seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The proposal, called the Election Rigging Response Act, is California lawmakers' response to Texas lawmakers enacting a similar change in their state earlier this year.
Texas legislators in August revealed redrawn congressional maps that gave the Republican majority five additional seats in Congress. The redistricting came at the urging of Donald Trump, who in July ordered Texas governor Greg Abbott to carve out additional Republican-leaning districts in order to bolster the party's chances to maintain control of the House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
California Governor Gavin Newsom spearheaded the effort to redistrict the Golden State. He endorsed the new maps in August, but unlike Texas, California has an independent citizens' commission that oversees redistricting after a census year. The Prop. 50 maps, being the creation of the state government, require the approval of the voters.
The redistricting commission would create new maps following the 2030 Census.
Multiple other states, both Democratic and Republican, have begun considering redrawing their congressional districts as well.
What will change?
California currently has 52 congressional districts, 43 of which went to Democrats in the last election.
The redrawn maps target five of the nine Republican districts. Those seats are held by Reps. Doug LaMalfa in District 1, Kevin Kiley in District 3, David Valadao in District 22, Ken Calvert in District 41 and Darrell Issa in District 48.
The Prop. 50 maps would redraw those districts to include areas with more registered Democrats, which would effectively flip them from Republican representation.
California Congressional Districts 1 and 3 as they currently stand | Courtesy of the California Legislative Analyst's Office
District 1
District 1 covers much of northeastern California, and stretches south and west from the Oregon and Nevada borders. It encompasses Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama counties, and most of Yuba. The largest cities are Redding, Chico and Yuba City. The district has an estimated 759,259 residents, with a median household income of $69,829, according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
The redrawn District 1 would cover Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Tehama, Glen and Lake Counties, as well as parts of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties.
Modoc, Shasta and Siskiyou Counties would be incorporated into District 2.
Congressional District 1 and 3 proposed by Prop. 50 | Courtesy of the California Legislative Analyst's Office
District 3
District 3 covers a large swath of Eastern California, across much of the center of the state. The counties currently in the district are: Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Mono and Inyo, as well as part of Sacramento County and the section of Yuba County outside of District 1.
The district's largest cities are the Sacramento suburbs of Roseville, Folsom, and Orangevale, as well as mountain communities including Truckee and Mammoth Lakes. It has an estimated population of 807,351 people and a median household income of $107,122.
The redrawn district would be significantly smaller, and would only fully cover Nevada County, as well as the majority of Placer and El Dorado Counties, and a section of Sacramento County.
District 22
District 22 includes most of Kings County, and parts of Tulare and Kern Counties. It covers the eastern portion of Bakersfield. The district has an estimated population of 770,684 people and median household income of $60,072.
The redrawn district would cover sections of Tulare, Kern, Kings and Fresno Counties, as well as a small section of Madera County.
California Congressional Districts 22, 41, and 48 as they currently stand | Courtesy of the California Legislative Analyst's Office
District 41
California's 41st district is limited to Riverside County, and currently includes much of the wealthy sections of Coachella Valley, as well as Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta. The District has a population of 824,187 people and a median household income of $101,842.
The redrawn district would be shifted significantly to the west, and would represent central Los Angeles County, including the cities of Downey, Norwalk, Whittier and Lakewood.
Congressional District 22, 41 and 48 as proposed by Prop. 50 | Courtesy of the California Legislative Analyst's Office
District 48
The 48th district covers all of San Diego County and the southwestern portion of Riverside County. The district has an estimated population of 768,439 residents and a median household income of $114,972.
The redrawn district would cover a reduced section of San Diego County and a greater portion of Riverside County.