Newsom signs legislative package placing Proposition 50 on November ballot

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the “Election Rigging Response Act” legislative package, a move that will place Proposition 50 on the November 2025 ballot. The legislation is designed to allow Californians to respond to congressional redistricting actions in Texas and other Republican-led states, which state leaders say are attempts by President Trump to consolidate power.

“Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and thanks to the hard work of the California legislature, they will have a choice to fight back — and bring much needed accountability to Trump’s efforts to undermine the democratic process,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

The legislative package includes three main components. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 (Rivas, McGuire) would give Californians the ability to adopt a new, temporary Congressional map if approved by voters. Senate Bill 280 (Cervantes, Pellerin) sets procedures and funding for a statewide special election for Proposition 50 on November 4, 2025. Assembly Bill 604 (Aguiar-Curry, Gonzalez) establishes temporary Congressional District Maps contingent upon voter approval of ACA 8.

This bill package follows a framework announced last week in Los Angeles at the Democracy Center with participation from Planned Parenthood, labor unions, community organizations, educators, and elected officials from various levels of government.

“California will not be a bystander to Trump’s power grab,” said Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). “We are acting to defend our state from his attacks, by taking it directly to the voters. Californians believe in democracy and freedom, and we will not stand by while the House is hijacked by authoritarianism. Today, we gave every Californian the opportunity to stop Trump by saying yes to our people, to our state, and to American democracy.”

“The Election Rigging Response Act legislation allows voters the chance to stop Trump and Republican attempts to blatantly steal our election,” said pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast). “This legislation is temporary, and it’s all about fairness. And, today’s action means we’re fighting back for our democracy and our future — not with fire — but with the power of the voters and millions of folks across the Golden State.”

Governor Newsom also issued a Proclamation calling for a special election on November 4, 2025.

According to state officials, California has taken steps over recent years that have enabled it to recover at least $168 billion in federal funding through proactive legal efforts against policies from the Trump Administration. These efforts reportedly stemmed from a special session earlier this year focused on safeguarding Californians’ interests; approximately $5 million was spent supporting litigation related to these issues.