Key takeaways
- Your vote matters. Proposition 50 could authorize temporary changes to the state's congressional district maps through 2030, in response to the Texas Legislature passing a bill to adopt new maps for the 2026 midterm elections.
- You have options. Learn about the different ways your voice can be represented.
- You can get involved. There are many opportunities to engage in this election.
What is a special election?
On November 4, 2025, California will hold a statewide special election, which is an irregularly scheduled election most commonly used to fill unexpected vacancies in public elected offices or to address urgent legislative matters. In this case, California voters will decide on Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, which would replace the current congressional map with one that creates five new majority-Democrat districts.
What is on the ballot?
Proposition 50 is a measure that redraws the state's congressional district maps. Every 10 years after the U.S. Census is completed, states draw district maps to reflect their number of House representatives. This proposition, put on the ballot by California Legislature, is in response to the Texas Legislature passing a bill that redrew its congressional map to add five new districts that would favor the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm election. The dueling partisan redistricting efforts — part of a multi-state push to shift party representation — have high-stakes political implications in deciding which party will control the House of Representatives.
"What the governor is doing is creating the political opportunity for the state legislature and, ultimately, the voters to approve a new set of maps in California," said Matt Barreto, a political scientist and co-founder of the UCLA Voting Rights Project.
As you consider your position on this issue – or prepare to vote in any election – it is important to analyze a diverse range of sources. Hearing from multiple perspectives will enable you to make a more thoughtful decision.
"Reaching an informed decision depends on our breaking out of our 'echo chambers' and considering the arguments both for and against," said Stuart Soroka, a UCLA professor of communication and political science.
Preparing to vote: Making informed decisions
To better understand the proposal, helpful analysis can be found from several sources, including:
Events and workshops
If you want to learn more about the importance of this election and how your vote could shape the future of democracy, look no further than UCLA's Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) upcoming programs.
