Ballots are arriving in mailboxes across Santa Barbara County right now, and with them comes one of the most important decisions Californians will make this year: Whether to approve Proposition 50 and defend the integrity of our democracy.
The stakes could not be higher. Across the country, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are redrawing congressional maps to entrench their power and silence communities like ours. Texas, Florida, and Ohio have already begun unprecedented mid-decade redistricting to seize additional seats in the House of Representatives. These are not routine adjustments based on population changes or court orders — they are blatantly partisan maneuvers designed to rig the game before the 2026 elections.
This fight is about far more than district boundaries. It is about who has power in America and whose voices count.
Trump and congressional Republicans have already shown what they’ll do when they control Washington:
• They denied wildfire relief to California communities after devastating blazes.
• They tried to strip millions of Americans of healthcare.
• They imposed reckless tariffs that raised prices and hurt working families.
• They weaponized immigration raids and terrorized neighborhoods up and down our state.
Now, they’re trying to cement those policies permanently through redistricting. If we allow them to gerrymander their way to a permanent majority, California’s priorities — clean energy, reproductive freedom, worker protections, affordable healthcare — will be on the chopping block.
California has always stood as a beacon of democracy, fairness, and inclusion. But when other states change the rules during the game, refusing to act is not neutrality — it’s surrender. Proposition 50 is California’s answer: a measured, transparent, voter-approved safeguard that ensures our state can protect fair representation in Congress.
What does Prop 50 do?
Prop 50 allows California to redraw our own congressional districts once, outside of the typical timeline — subject to approval by voters in a statewide election. This adjustment would apply only to the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. After that, the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission — created by voters and widely respected for its fairness — would resume its full duties following the next Census.
The measure does not eliminate or weaken the independent commission. Instead, it recognizes that we are living in a new and dangerous era of election manipulation. Prop 50 preserves the commission’s work while allowing California to defend itself when others break faith with democracy. Furthermore, Prop 50 calls on Congress to adopt a nationwide requirement for independent redistricting systems.
Prop 50 restores balance. It ensures that if Trump-aligned governors redraw lines to create more safe Republican seats, California can respond in kind — within the law, transparently, and with voter oversight.
Critics claim Proposition 50 “overturns the will of the voters” who created the independent commission. That’s false. Prop 50 does not abolish the commission. It temporarily empowers voters themselves to approve a fair congressional map in our present extraordinary circumstances.
The commission will continue to exist, and its principles — transparency, fairness, diversity, and compliance with the Voting Rights Act — remain intact. The maps created under Prop 50 must still meet the same legal and ethical standards that guide the commission today.
Democracy depends on checks and balances — not on congressional and judicial acquiescence to a rogue president. Prop 50 is about maintaining that balance.
Why is it our job to fight back?
From civil rights to climate policy, California has never waited for Washington to act. We lead because we must.
Our state pioneered mail-in voting, automatic voter registration, and nonpartisan redistricting. Prop 50 is in that same spirit — a proactive step to safeguard our representation and strengthen democracy when it’s under direct attack.
The measure also reaffirms California’s support for independent redistricting nationwide and for full transparency in any future process. It contains a sunset clause ensuring that after 2030, the independent commission resumes control of redistricting.
In short: this is a one-time, voter-approved measure to protect fairness, not to undermine it.
What do we need to do?
This is a moment for resolve. California’s values — our diversity, our compassion, our commitment to fairness — are all under siege. Trump and his allies are redrawing the map of America to silence us. Proposition 50 gives us a lawful, democratic way to fight back.
So here’s what we’re asking you to do:
1) Check your mailbox for your ballot.
2) Vote YES on Proposition 50 and sign your envelope.
3) Mail or drop off your ballot at an official drop box before November 4 — no stamp needed.
4) Tell your friends and family why this matters.
