State's voters to decide on new House districts

California lawmakers back a November special election to boost Democrats.

- BY LAURA J. NELSON, SEEMA MEHTA AND MELODY GUTIERREZ

Ratcheting up the pressure in the escalating national fight over control of Congress, the California Legislature on Thursday approved a November special election to ask voters to redraw the state's electoral lines to favor Democrats and thwart President Trump's far-right policy agenda.

The ballot measure, pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state and national Democratic leaders, is the latest volley in a national political brawl over electoral maps that could alter the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections and the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

If voters approve the redrawn lines on Nov. 4, Democrats in the Golden State would see the odds tilted further in their favor, while the number of California Republicans in the House could be halved.

Newsom initially said that new electoral districts in California would take effect only if another state redrew its lines before 2031.

But after Texas moved toward approving its own maps this week that could give the GOP five more House seats, Democrats stripped the so-called trigger language from the amendment — meaning that if voters approve the measure, the new lines would take effect no matter what.

"They fired the first shot, Texas," Newsom said before signing the bills Thursday.

"We wouldn't be here if Texas had not done what they just did, if Donald Trump didn't do what he just did."

The ballot measure language, which asks California voters to override the power of the independent redistricting commission, was approved by most Democrats in the Assembly and the Senate, where they hold supermajorities.

Lawmakers have the power to place constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot without the approval of the governor.

Newsom later signed two bills that fund the special election and spell out the lines for the new congressional districts.

AN AYE button is illuminated after a California Assembly member voted.