Californians are casting ballots Tuesday in a statewide special election that could reshape how congressional districts are drawn across the state.
Proposition 50 would temporarily transfer redistricting authority from California’s independent commission to the state legislature—a move supporters say is needed to counter recent gerrymandering efforts in Texas, where House Republicans redrew maps earlier this year to flip five congressional seats in next year’s midterms.
Meanwhile, opponents argue the measure undercuts California’s long-standing goal of keeping partisan politics out of the redistricting process.
On the Central Coast, some voters say the measure feels like a test of democracy itself. San Luis Obispo County resident James O’Connor said he sees Proposition 50 as a necessary response to the current political climate.
“We’re a democratic republic and this is our opportunity to go ahead and step in,” O’Connor said. “I’m not real pleased with the direction that the country is taking at the moment, and I think this is an effective counter-step.”
Others, like Mary Tatum, a retired prosecutor and Paso Robles resident, explained that for her the measure connects to broader concerns about justice and fairness.
“I was a prosecutor for 33 years,” Tatum said. “I retired from the Monterey DA’s office. I became a criminal defense lawyer and I was representing a gentleman who was arrested by ICE outside of the courtroom, and it was heartbreaking.”
Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday night, and results from San Luis Obispo and neighboring counties are expected to start rolling in shortly after.
Voters can find their assigned polling place at the top of their ballot packet or online at the California Secretary of State’s website.
