Voters go to the polls on Proposition 50. Why it matters and what to know

Voters go to the polls on Tuesday to decide the fate of Proposition 50, which — if passed — would dramatically redraw congressional district lines in California to favor Democrats.

The election is being closely watched across the county because it could affect which party controls the House of Representatives after next year's midterm elections.

Voting in the special election has been taking place since early October, when mail-in ballots were sent to voters’ homes. More than 80% of voters cast ballots by mail in the 2024 presidential election.

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Vote centers are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout Los Angeles and Orange and other California counties.

If you still want to mail your ballot, you’ll need to make sure it gets postmarked today.

If the ballot you received is damaged or you fill it out incorrectly, you can go to a vote center and vote with a provisional ballot. And even if you’re not registered to vote, you can still go to a center, register and vote Tuesday.

Prop. 50 aims to redraw congressional districts 

Under Proposition 50, congressional boundaries for California’s 52 districts that were drawn by the Independent Redistricting Commission would be suspended. They would be replaced with boundaries drawn by Democrats for the next three elections.

The new lines are projected to produce five more Democratic seats and five fewer Republican seats. Right now, California’s congressional delegation includes 43 Democrats and nine Republicans.

For months, Californians have been inundated with ads for and against the measure. More than $120 million has been spent in support of it, and more than $44 million has been spent in opposition.

According to CalMatters, Proposition 50 has been the subject of more independent expenditures than any previous ballot measure.

National political leaders have weighed in as well, including President Donald Trump, who opposes it, and former President Barack Obama, who supports it.

Broader fight for control of the House

Gov. Gavin Newsom first proposed the measure this summer in response to redistricting in Texas, which redrew its congressional maps to include five more Republicans and five fewer Democrats. Texas did so at the behest of Trump, who wants to see Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.

Republicans have a slim 219-212 majority in the House now.

Last month, the Trump administration announced it would send election monitors to observe the voting in five counties, including L.A., Orange, Riverside, Kern and Fresno. The move came in response to a request by the California Republican Party, which cited past voting “irregularities,” such as people not getting ballots in time for elections.

Newsom denounced the move, calling it an effort to instill fear in voters and suppress the vote. He also said it was an effort to justify Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud with mail-in voting.

Attorney General Rob Bonta said the monitors were welcome “but unnecessary.”

You can learn more about Proposition 50 at the LAist Voter Guide.