California has a special election coming up! On November 4th, many Californians will have the chance to vote on Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act. This constitutional amendment, proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom, would create a new congressional district map that favors Democrats for the next three election cycles (through 2030) in an attempt to offset partisan gerrymandering in other states, most notably Texas.
What does Prop 50 do?
Proposition 50 will determine how Californians are represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by redrawing the district map that determines who votes for which representatives. California has 52 congressional representatives in the House, of which 43 are Democrats and 9 are Republican. The proposed map voters will be deciding on on November 4th would potentially flip five seats.
Why is California doing this?
Currently, Republicans have a five-seat majority in the House of Representatives. All representatives (there are a total of 438) are up for election every two years. President Donald Trump has been so legislatively powerful in part because he has a Republican-controlled House, Senate, and Judiciary: that is to say, every branch of government follows roughly the same policy agenda. Based on fears that he would lose the Republican House majority, President Trump pressured Texas Republicans to gerrymander their congressional districts, effectively turning five seats Republican. Gov. Newsom’s move, if voters decide to pass it, would functionally even the score.
Even with a felony conviction, you can vote if you are:
- In a local detention facility:
- Serving a misdemeanor sentence (a misdemeanor never affects your right to vote)
- Because jail time is a condition of probation (misdemeanor or felony)
- Serving a felony jail sentence
- Awaiting trial
- On parole
- On probation
- On mandatory supervision
- On post-release community supervision
- On federal supervised release
- A person with a juvenile wardship adjudication
However, you CANNOT vote if you are currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony in:
- State prison
- Federal prison
- A local detention facility
Above information from CA Secretary of State Office.
For more information, you can call the CA Secretary of State Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
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