NEED TO KNOW
• Governor Gavin Newsom signed a legislative package sending Proposition 50 to a statewide special election on November 4, 2025.
• ACA 8 would let voters adopt a temporary congressional map to counter mid-decade redistricting moves in other states.
• SB 280 sets timelines and funding for the special election; AB 604 contains the temporary district maps that would take effect if voters approve ACA 8.
The Big Picture
California leaders advanced a rapid response to out-of-state redistricting moves, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing the “Election Rigging Response Act” alongside Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate pro Tempore Mike McGuire. Proposition 50 will appear on the November 4, 2025 special election ballot and, if approved, would allow a temporary congressional map intended to neutralize perceived partisan gains elsewhere, according to the Governor’s office.
What’s New
The signed package includes three measures. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 gives Californians the option to adopt a temporary congressional map. Senate Bill 280 establishes timelines and procedures to conduct the special election and provides state funding for its administration. Assembly Bill 604 sets out the temporary congressional district descriptions that would take effect only if voters pass ACA 8. The Governor also issued a Proclamation setting the special election for November 4, 2025, according to the Governor’s office.
What They’re Saying
“Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and thanks to the hard work of the California legislature, they will have a choice to fight back — and bring much needed accountability to Trump’s efforts to undermine the democratic process.”
— Governor Gavin Newsom
Context
The move arrives amid a national fight over mid-decade redistricting. California retains its Citizens Redistricting Commission for the regular 2031 remap, while the new proposal offers a temporary map that would be triggered by out-of-state changes, according to the Governor’s office. Legislative leaders framed the package as a voter-driven check on perceived election manipulation, while critics have questioned the departure from the state’s long-standing independent mapping model. Separate legal challenges and petitions have surfaced as the debate intensifies, according to court filings and public statements by party officials.
What’s Next
Election officials will prepare statewide materials and procedures for the November 4 special election. If voters adopt ACA 8, the temporary congressional districts in AB 604 would govern elections until the Citizens Redistricting Commission’s next regular map takes effect after the 2030 census cycle, according to the Governor’s office.
The Bottom Line
California is putting the question to voters: whether to deploy a temporary congressional map as a direct response to mid-decade redistricting elsewhere. Supporters call it a fairness measure; opponents warn it reshapes a system built around independent maps. The decision now moves from the Capitol to the ballot box.
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