Election Day 2025: What to know about California's Prop 50

LOS ANGELES - Voters in California will soon decide the fate of Proposition 50, a proposal to temporarily redraw California's congressional district lines in an effort to create more Democratic seats in the House — an effort Gov. Gavin Newsom says will offset a similar move in Texas designed to create more Republican seats.

The outcome of the election could determine which party wins control of the House.

If approved, it’s possible the new political map could slash five Republican-held House seats while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts. That could boost the Democratic margin to 48 of California’s 52 congressional seats, up from the 43 seats the party now holds.

What a yes vote on Prop. 50 means

A yes vote on Prop. 50 would allow California to adopt new congressional district maps starting in 2026. The maps would remain in place until the 2030 census, when the state’s independent Redistricting Commission redraws maps.

If approved, the new map could eliminate up to five Republican-held seats, strengthen Democratic incumbents in competitive districts, boost Democrats’ edge to 48 of California’s 52 House seats, up from 43 now.

Currently, Republicans hold a 219–213 majority in the House, with three vacancies.

What a no vote on Prop. 50 means

A no vote keeps the current congressional district maps in place until after the 2030 census.

Critics say Prop. 50’s redrawn lines are politically motivated and could disrupt rural representation mid-decade without new population data.

RELATED:

• How Prop. 50 would change California's congressional district maps
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he'll consider running for President after 2026 midterms

Dig deeper:

A Democratic House would threaten President Donald Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term, while Newsom is widely seen as a likely 2028 presidential contender who would get a publicity boost within his party for spearheading a plan to sidetrack Trump’s conservative playbook.

"If we lose this election in California, it means Democrats have virtually no chance of taking back the House," Newsom warned in a recent fundraising pitch to supporters.

Supporters of the measure say it "draws fair maps that represent California's diverse communities and ensure our voices aren't silenced by Republican gerrymandering in other states."

Meanwhile, opponents say Prop. 50 "creates one of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders in modern American history" and is a "threat to democracy and fair elections in California," according to the campaign against the measure.