Pros and Cons of Proposition 50 event in Antioch Oct. 2
Presented by League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley
Learn the Pros and Cons of Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act, a temporary redistricting measure on the statewide election scheduled for November 4. The League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley will sponsor three in-person events and one online session for the public to hear arguments and funding for and against the measure, which has potential nationwide impact.
Ballots will be mailed October 6.
Background
Proposition 50 was a response by Governor Newsom and the California State Legislature to Texas Legislature’s recent mid-cycle redistricting. But the California ballot measure was approved and signed into law on Aug. 21 before Texas’ new congressional district were approved on Aug. 29, which was done in response to a lawsuit by the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice.
According to a report by Democracy Docket, the lawsuit was “filed in 2021 by the DOJ under the Biden administration that alleged the state’s new redistricting plans drawn with 2020 census data violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because they ignored the Lone Star State’s growing minority population and instead diluted the voting strength of voters. The lawsuit was later consolidated with several other similar lawsuits.”
While in March the Trump Administration’s DOJ “dropped its claims against Texas that its…state legislative and congressional maps violate the Voting Rights Act, litigation…a coalition of pro-voting groups — including the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Mi Familia Vota and others — continuing their legal efforts for fair maps in Texas.”
Later, according to a July 15th report by Politico, President Trump told reporters he wanted Texas to attain five additional Republican congressional seats in the 2026 election through redistricting, in order to maintain a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to the LWV, “The California measure’s stated intent is to counteract Texas’ actions and help ensure that the 2026 U.S. mid-term elections are conducted on a level playing field, without an unfair advantage for either party.” While California’s Prop 50 puts the decision in the hands of California voters the new district lines were drawn and approved by the Democrats in the state legislature and Governor Newsom.
The voters will decide in November whether or not to confirm their proposed, new Congressional district maps.
See Prop. 50 proposed Congressional Districts Map.
See current maps drawn by Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Event Details:
Events are free to the public. Registration is appreciated.
Tuesday, September 30, 6:00– 7:00 p.m. – Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord. To RSVP for this event, email marion@lwvdv.org.
Thursday, October 2, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Genesis Church, 1800 Woodland Drive, Antioch. RSVP for this event. To RSVP for this event, email marion@lwvdv.org
Thursday, October 2, 7:00 – 8:00 pm – Dougherty Station Library, 17017 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon. Register for this event.
Thursday, October 9, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – Virtual; this event will have simultaneous Spanish translation and will be recorded for future viewing online. Registration is required to receive the link. Register for this event.
For more information, contact janet@lwvdv.org.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation at the local, state and national levels. For more information visit www.lwvdv.org.
Gail Murray and Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
the attachments to this post:
CA Congressional District Maps Prop 50
Prop 50 Congressional District impacts chart
Current CA Congressional District 10 & 8 maps 2021
Prop 50 CD9 map Contra Costa
