Letters: Held my nose, voted YES on Prop. 50

Proposition 50, if approved, authorizes five new Democratic leaning districts for the election of Californians to the House of Representatives from 2026 through 2030 at the possible expense of GOP representation. It effectively expires, thereafter, allowing the existing Citizens Redistricting Committee to draw election maps following the 2030 census. All 50 states typically redraw their voting maps once every 10 years following the federal census.

Not under Trump. Prop. 50 is on the ballot because Donald Trump is concerned that his narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives may be lost in 2026 as it was in his first term. That does typically happen during the elections between presidential election years regardless of who is in office. Trump told the White House press corp that he is entitled to a Republican majority for his last two years in office because he won in 2024. (Hey-it’s Trump speak.) So, he told Texas legislators to redraw their maps, again, to squeeze out Texas Democrats and give him five more votes in the House after the 2026 election. They did, and other red states are doing the same thing.

Therefore, Prop. 50 is an attempt to balance the deck by maintaining the status quo before Trump’s election interference.