Many voters in California are expressing their hopes for a new poll regarding the state’s independent electoral district commission. This comes as Governor Gavin Newsom (D) contemplates bypassing it in other states to combat GOP gerrymandering.
A recent investigation from the Politico-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab revealed that only 36% of California voters favor handing Congressional redistricting powers back to the state legislature. In contrast, 64% support maintaining an independent commission for this purpose.
Newsom is determined to move forward with his redistricting plans in California as a response to redistricting efforts led by Republicans in other states.
Leaders like former President Trump and other GOP figures are encouraging certain red states to expand their influence ahead of the upcoming elections. For instance, in Texas, state Democrats recently defeated a proposal that aimed to secure five GOP Congressional seats.
In an effort to counteract Republican strategies, Newsom has proposed implementing voting measures that would allow redistricting to bypass the independent committee for the election cycles of 2026, 2028, and 2030, before reverting back to the established system.
His plan is to bring these issues to California voters during special elections this fall, noting that any changes would only take effect if other red states proceed with their own redistricting. The campaign will kick off at the “Freeing Day” event on Thursday.
“We’re going to fight fire with fire,” Newsom stated, emphasizing his commitment to pushing back against potential setbacks in Texas.
However, some political experts caution that even with a Democratic advantage in the traditionally blue state, Newsom may need a broad campaign to rally support for these measures. This is particularly important given the popularity of independent redistricting commissions established by voters in 2008 and 2010.
The poll conducted between July 28 and August 12 surveyed 1,445 registered California voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
