California redistricting measure makes the ballot. Here's what you should know

California is officially entering the nationwide redistricting battle.

The California Legislature officially passed a proposal Thursday to redraw the state’s congressional district boundaries in a way that would give Democrats an advantage in the 2026 midterm elections. The move escalates tensions between California Democrats and President Donald Trump, who first urged Texas lawmakers to redraw their state’s maps to favor Republicans.

The measure passed 57 to 20 in the state Assembly and the state Senate passed it hours later 30-8, on a party-line vote.

Four of the districts that would be most heavily impacted under the plan are in Southern California.

Now the measure heads to a statewide ballot. It can’t go into effect unless California voters approve it in a special election on Nov. 4.

What does the proposal say?

The measure, officially titled the “Election Rigging Response Act,” would allow California to use new maps for congressional elections in 2026, 2028 and 2030.

If your district boundaries change under the new maps, you’ll be voting with a different group of people to elect a congressional representative for the next three elections.

Ordinarily, an independent commission — a politically balanced group of citizens who aren’t connected to political office — is in charge of drawing California’s congressional district maps. They do it once every 10 years based on the results of the U.S. Census. The next redistricting process wasn’t set to begin until after the 2030 Census.

This new measure temporarily interrupts that cycle and allows the new maps, designed by elected officials, to take effect for the next three election cycles. After 2030, the independent redistricting commission will take over the job again as usual.

Is my district affected?

Use this tool from our partners at CalMatters to enter your address and see if your new district would change under the proposal.

You can also read more from CalMatters on some of the districts most heavily affected, which include those represented by Ken Calvert in Riverside, Derek Tran in L.A. and Orange County, and Dave Min in Orange County.

Why are we voting on this?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom initiated this effort as a response to Trump’s actions in Texas.

In July, Trump began urging Texas lawmakers to redraw their state’s congressional maps to help retain more Republican representatives in Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans have a slim 219-212 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives right now, but in midterm elections, the balance of power historically tends to shift to the other party.

Like California, Texas, and other states aren’t supposed to redistrict until after the next census count in 2030. But under pressure from Trump, Republican lawmakers in Texas produced a draft map to take effect before the 2026 midterms and likely give Republicans an additional five seats in Congress. After a two-week standoff, the Texas House approved the new maps, and the state senate is expected to pass it as well.

Newsom, calling Trump’s move in Texas an effort to “rig” congressional elections next year, launched California’s redistricting effort as a way to neutralize the one in Texas.

Several other state leaders have expressed that they may join the redistricting fight, including in Florida, Missouri and Illinois.

Does voting ‘yes’ mean the measure will automatically take effect?

Not necessarily. This measure has explicit language that it would only kick in if another state moves ahead with their own mid-cycle redistricting effort. If Texas' new maps pass the state legislature, then California voters would just need to approve California's measure in November for it to take effect.

One potential disruptor would be the measure faces legal challenges that hold it up in court. This week a group of California Republicans filed a lawsuit against the proposal on technical grounds, but it was rejected by the California Supreme Court. Still, other lawsuits could crop up in the coming weeks.

Additionally, U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California's 3rd Congressional District introduced congressional legislation to prohibit mid-cycle redistricting nationwide. If that passes, it would nullify the newly drawn congressional maps in Texas, California and any other state that tries to do the same.

What do supporters and opponents say?

What supporters say: Newsom has described the plan as a way to neutralize Trump’s redistricting efforts in Texas. “We’re not going to roll over, and we’re going to fight fire with fire,” he said in a press conference earlier this month. Many Democratic members of Congress have expressed public support for the plan, including California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.

Sara Sadhwani, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College and a Democratic member of California’s independent redistricting commission, supports the effort, too.

“These are extraordinary times,” she said in an interview with Politico. “At this moment, I’m not so worried about California’s democracy. We have strong democratic institutions here in the state of California, but I’m also a political scientist, and at the national level, what we’ve seen over the last 10 or even 20 years is a backsliding and a decay of our institutions that should worry all of us.”

What skeptics say: Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for democratic reforms including independent redistricting, initially opposed Newsom’s plan. Darius Kemp, the group's executive director, called it a “dangerous move” in a press release, adding: “We can’t afford to put our state’s democracy on the line during a time of national instability.”

However, the group scaled back its opposition shortly afterward. In a statement, the group said it would not oppose Newsom’s plan if state lawmakers adhered to certain “fairness criteria.”

What opponents say: All nine members of California’s Republican congressional delegation oppose Newsom’s plan, arguing in a joint statement that it overrides the will of voters who approved the independent redistricting system.

State Assemblymembers Suzette Valladares and Kate Sanchez, both Republican co-chairs of the California Hispanic Caucus, are against the proposal, describing it in a statement as a “direct attack on millions of Californians’ right to fair representation.”

Several critics have also highlighted the cost of a special election, which State Assembly Republicans estimated could total around $235 million.

What can I do to prepare for the Nov. 4 election?

The special election is scheduled for Nov. 4. Here’s what you can do now to get ready:

• Check your registration. You can check your status at the California Secretary of State website here. 
• Register or update your registration. If you’re not registered or need to change your information, you can do that here.