Californians have until midnight tonight to register to vote in the statewide special election on Nov. 4.
Gov. Gavin Newsom in August signed a bill calling for a Nov. 4 special election that will let Californians decide whether lawmakers should temporarily take control of drawing the state’s congressional maps, which would heavily favor Democrats.
The proposal, called the Election Rigging Response Act, would override the state’s independent redistricting commission for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. The commission, approved by voters through ballot measures in 2008 and 2010, was designed to remove politics from the process, which is typically conducted every 10 years using U.S. Census data.
Under the plan, the commission would remain in law but lose authority – at least temporarily.
Supporters argue that the measure is necessary to counter partisan gerrymandering in GOP-led states. Opponents, however, argue it amounts to gerrymandering itself, returning power to politicians after voters had deliberately removed it.
A “yes” vote would allow the Legislature to implement new maps for the next election cycle. A “no” vote would preserve the current maps drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission until new lines are created after the 2030 Census. Counties would face one-time costs of up to several million dollars to update election materials.
Voters who miss the registration deadline can still register and vote on the same day at county election offices or vote centers through Election Day. Those ballots will be counted once registration is verified.