* With around three-quarters of the votes counted, California Proposition 50 is backed by about 64 percent of voters…
Known as the “Election Rigging Response Act” this is a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to use a new legislature-drawn congressional map from 2026 through the 2030 elections instead of the one drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
A Yes vote means the state would use the new maps starting in 2026 until the California Citizens Redistricting Commission draw new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census.
A No vote means that the current maps drawn by the Commission would continue to be used until 2030.
* Gov. Newsom last night…
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about Newsom’s challenge to Illinois at an unrelated event today…
Q: [Newsom] said, ‘I’m going to be reaching out to other states,’ and mentioned Illinois. Is there a chance for redistricting here?
Pritzker: Oh, he’s not the first one, as you may know. An awful lot of people want us to consider redistricting and I have to say we’re watching what Indiana does. You know, we’ve been looking at pairing with different states because if they’re… We don’t think that this is a good idea. Redistricting across the country, not a good idea.
But unfortunately, Donald Trump is trying to cheat. He thinks that redistricting mid-decade is okay. So he called up and told the governor of Texas that he ought to do it for him. And he went ahead and did it. That’s why California had to.
So we’re watching what Indiana does. We may have to react to that. It’s certainly something that people have considered here and the legislature has considered here.
But we’ll have to see what happens.
Interesting framing of “pairing” states. California responds to Texas. So, Illinois could respond to Indiana.
* Some background is here…
Indiana lawmakers won’t meet to consider new congressional maps and tax code tweaks until the first two weeks of December, legislative leaders announced Monday — ending months of speculation.
They’ll reconvene from Dec. 1-12, rather than hold the special legislative session in November that Gov. Mike Braun called for last week.
Indiana’s current partisan congressional split is 7-2 Republican. They’re looking at making it at least 8-1. Some Illinois Democrats also want to try and squeeze one more district out of the state.
* But, after yesterday’s election results, self-preservation mode may kick in hard…
- The Farm Grad - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:12 pm:
If Illinois were to redraw congressional districts, would new candidates have the right to file?
Thinking of IL-4.
And if the legislation did not allow it, could it be challenged federally?
I’m thinking that it can’t be, and that if the Illinois establishment wants Chuy Garcia to designate his successor, there’s nothing that can be done about it
- Think again - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:14 pm:
=In Prop 50 victory speech, Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on other Democratic states to redistrict=
I hate these types of state referendums that have direct national electoral consequences (opposed to, say, a progressive STATE income tax), as they expose the tyranny of the majority. Unlike our Constitutional Republic form of National Government, which implicitly safeguards the rights/voices of political minorities and the opposition
- Frida's Boss - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:14 pm:
These short term responses, on both sides, to immediate needs will create long term problems. The pendulum always swings back and usually the side that started the swinging looks aghast and complains when the pendulum swings the other way, never looking in the mirror at outcomes they created.
- Jack in Chatham - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
Ha ha. The current map has resulted in 14 Democrats and 3 Republicans. I doubt a new map can do better than 82% Democrat without making for some risky districts. The big map fight will be after the 2030 Census when Illinois is expected to lose two Congressional Districts.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:25 pm:
–
These short term responses, on both sides, to immediate needs will create long term problems.
–
So? Then we make changes if they cause problems, or we live with the problems. Just like today.
Sitting back and doing nothing is how we arrived here, and many seem to be aware of that now.
As a wise man from Canada once said, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice”
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose free will.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:26 pm:
I think the outcome will give state legislators more backbone to stand up to Trump/Vance, and congressmen more of an opportunity to lean on them to preserve their existing districts.
To many of them, Trump is looking more like a lame duck today.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:27 pm:
This is not a both sides matter, as some in news media have been framing and reporting it. Republicans started this at the urging of the president, who thinks Democratic votes are corrupt by nature.
If Republican governance is so popular, they wouldn’t need to redistrict. They are doing it to avoid voter accountability, which was very strong last night, very tremendous, the likes of which maybe nobody’s ever seen.
- Harrison - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
Of course it’s a both sides issue.
In Illinois Democrats won 54% of the statewide vote in 2024 but somehow control 82% of the congressional seats (14 of 17)
Lots of luck redrawing maps to get more seats for Democrats
- H-W - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
We are currently living in unprecedented times, in which the federal government is advocating a system in which states no longer allocate congressional districts in terms of equal representation by region, and instead block vote at the state level.
This option has always existed, but has always been rejected. Hence, we live in unprecedented times in which one party rule is the order of business (historically speaking).
If we must prevent one party rule by allocating congressional districts according to the statewide popular vote, so be it. We can always go back later when we realize that we are screwing our neighbors for purely theoretical reasons that pit brother against brother so that the powerful few rule uninterrupted.
And I am convinced we will return to more sane relationships in the future. I am only sad that we have to go through justifying hate to realize that hate is the wrong option.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 2:56 pm:
If the media is going to “both sides” this, at least they should begin from a starting point that acknowledges these seats do not belong to parties or incumbents, they belong to the people.
Similar to Garcia’s and Moylan’s switcheroos, Trump getting his toadies to redraw boundaries mid-decade is a corruption of democracy. The fact that most people are immune to these shenanigans doesn’t diminish the fact that all of this is corrosive to democracy.
I hate that Trump doesn’t care, and I hate it more that my party feels like it has no choice but to play his game. It stinks.
- Moon - Wednesday, Nov 5, 25 @ 3:17 pm:
If Pritzker and the Leaders are honest any redraw of the map would result in more GOP district.
However recognizing they are politicians there would be more Dem districts.