California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday that plans are underway for a special election in November aimed at approving a voting measure that would enable Democrats to finalize a new home map by 2026.
“We’ve got until August 22nd. With the leadership here, they’ll get this through by vote. We’re targeting a special election in the first week of November,” he stated.
Joined by California lawmakers and some Texas Democrats who left their state, Newsom expressed that he would not be doing away with the independent district committee assigned to draw the map.
“We’re discussing emergency measures to tackle the situation in Texas. We’re going to counteract what’s happening there,” he emphasized.
This decision is a direct response to Texas Republicans aiming to gain five additional opportunities on the fresh house map.
Representative Zoe Lofgren, leading California’s Democratic Congressional delegation, mentioned that Democrats have the capacity to formulate a new house map ensuring compliance with the Voting Rights Act while still securing five extra seats in the upcoming year.
“When examining the possibilities, we are glad to inform that all members of the California delegation are ready to back a plan to achieve this,” she noted about her colleagues.
California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas told reporters that they expect the new map to be “available next week.”
“Once these maps are out, voters will have time to review and understand them leading up to the election,” he noted.
California is set to be the first state to actively begin the process of establishing a new line prior to 2026 in response to developments in Texas. Under pressure from President Trump, Texas is vying for Republicans to gain five seats as it readies for the challenging mid-term elections next year.
Currently, California is relying on an independent districting committee to design its maps. However, Democrats aim to temporarily bypass this committee to establish their own Congressional boundaries, reflecting the situation in Texas.
Newsom maintained that while Democrats back independent districts, “we’re not unilaterally disarming California.”
The governor expressed confidence that voters will endorse the proposed voting measure.
“We advocate for independent constituencies engaged in the electoral process,” he said. “We believe it should be nationally recognized. It’s up for a vote. It’s a chance to send a strong message. I believe Republicans will respond to not just Democrats and independents, but to their own constituents, and we will see robust support for this change.”
Updated at 6:48pm
