Millions of voters in California have received ballots in the mail for a special election on Nov. 4, and they have only one statewide question to answer this time.
Californians will decide on Proposition 50, a closely watched redistricting measure that is part of a tight national battle over control of the narrowly divided U.S. House of Representatives.
The ballot measure, championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, asks voters whether the state should adopt new congressional districts for California that would most likely lead to more Democrats being elected to Congress next year.
Here’s what you should know about the election:
What’s on the ballot?
Proposition 50 asks voters whether the state should temporarily approve new House districts for California for the next three election cycles. The proposed districts have been drawn in a way that would most likely lead to more Democrats being elected to Congress.
The state currently has 43 Democrats and nine Republicans in the House. Proposition 50 could help Democrats flip as many as five of the Republican-held seats in the state. It could also help Democrats make several swing seats easier to win.
The ballot measure would restore California’s independent redistricting process in 2031, when a commission would draw boundaries based on population changes determined by the 2030 census and the criteria set forth in the State Constitution.
Who supports the measure?
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic state lawmakers placed Proposition 50 on the ballot in August to counter gerrymandering in Texas and other states. Texas leaders enacted new maps at the request of President Trump, who wanted to find ways for the Republican Party to retain control of the House and pass his agenda over the last two years of his term.
Mr. Newsom has argued that Democrats needed to respond by gerrymandering their own districts and giving their party a fighting chance in the midterm elections. Besides the governor and Democratic state lawmakers, supporters include labor unions, the progressive donor George Soros, House Democrats, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama.
Who opposes the measure?
Republicans oppose Proposition 50 and say that the state should retain the boundaries already drawn by its independent commission. Among the most notable opponents are former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican who championed independent redistricting in California; the California Republican Party; House Republicans; and Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the House.
The opposition campaign has received the bulk of its funding so far from Charles Munger Jr., a physicist and wealthy heir of Charlie Munger, the investing guru and partner of Warren E. Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway. Charles Munger Jr. was a prominent backer of independent redistricting in California when voters installed it in two separate elections in 2008 and 2010.
Mr. Schwarzenegger and Mr. Munger have argued for years that voters should not allow politicians to draw their own boundaries or create extreme districts that benefit the party in power. They have made the case that competition in each district is healthy for democracy.
Republicans have already challenged Proposition 50 in court and have vowed to file more lawsuits if voters approve the measure.
How do I vote?
County registrars have sent mail ballots to 23 million active, registered voters this month for the Nov. 4 special election.
Polls will be open that day between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. local time, but there are many ways to vote before then, so the election is already underway.
Voters can mail in their ballots at any time — as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. They also can turn them in at drop boxes or vote centers through Nov. 4. State officials advise that voters in rural parts of California mail in their ballots before Election Day because of changes at the U.S. Postal Service that could slow postmarking.
Voters can track where their ballots are in the counting process by signing up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.
What if I’m not registered?
Eligible voters have until Oct. 20 to register and receive a ballot to participate. California also offers same-day registration that allows voters who miss the deadline to receive a provisional ballot. After a provisional ballot is submitted, registrars check to make sure that the individual qualifies to vote and has not already submitted a ballot.
Is it as simple as voting with my party?
Mr. Newsom has argued that voting for Proposition 50 is the best way for Californians to stop Mr. Trump. Republicans have made it less about Mr. Trump and focused on calling it a “power grab” by California Democrats who want to draw their own districts.
Some groups have had a difficult time deciding which way to go.
The League of Women Voters of California and California Common Cause, two nonpartisan groups, initially opposed Mr. Newsom’s gerrymandering idea because it bucked the principle of independent redistricting. But both groups later went neutral on Proposition 50. Common Cause’s national board determined that Mr. Newsom’s approach was acceptable because he was countering partisan redistricting in Texas.
Mr. Newsom has said that he supports independent redistricting in principle. But he argues that Democrats must fight fire with fire by gerrymandering districts where they can, even if it means suspending California’s rules until the next census.
Some California Republicans have said that they oppose mid-decade gerrymandering in all states, including the effort in Texas that was initiated by Mr. Trump. Representative Kevin Kiley, for instance, has proposed legislation in the House that would block mid-decade redistricting across the country. Mr. Kiley is among the Republican House members who are the most vulnerable to losing their seats if Proposition 50 is approved.
Mid-decade redistricting efforts have gone beyond Texas and California. Other states are pursuing changes that could benefit Republicans in House races, while Democrats have a more difficult path to redrawing their boundaries before the midterm elections.
How long will it take to know the results?
If the contest is lopsided, the outcome may be known the night of the election. If the results are close, it could be weeks before the race is called.
California famously takes a long time to count election results, mostly because of how large the state is and a number of voter-friendly provisions that are intended to ensure that every vote is counted. The state’s heavy reliance on mail balloting means that elections offices often have a deluge of votes to count on election night and the days after.
Laurel Rosenhall contributed reporting.
Soumya Karlamangla is a Times reporter who covers California. She is based in the Bay Area.
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