According to a newly proposed ballot measure, California legislators who vote to include Proposition 50, the “redistricting” proposal, on the November ballot may be prohibited from running for any public office for a period of 10 years.
The Secretary of State of California has approved the proposal (numbered 25-0015) to enter the signature collection phase. The proposal was introduced by State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio and must collect 874,641 signatures by April 20, 2026 to be included on the ballot for next year’s midterm elections.
The text of the ballot proposal submitted to the Attorney General’s office in August states that the constitutional amendment aims to “prevent conflicts of interest in the redistricting process.” It imposes a 5-year ban on “appointive positions” (including legislative staff positions and other designated positions) and a 10-year ban on “elective positions” for any legislators who vote in favor of Proposition 50. This ban applies to all levels of government positions in California.
This ban would require legislators supporting Proposition 50 to adhere to the same restrictions as the 14 members of the “California Citizens Redistricting Commission.” According to Article 21 of the state constitution, commission members are prohibited from running for public office within 10 years of leaving the commission, and from holding an appointive position within 5 years.
The proposal states that this ban serves as a “cooling-off period to ensure they do not derive personal or political benefits from participating in redistricting decisions.”
The redistricting plan proposed by Proposition 50 will be voted on by voters in a special statewide election on November 4. If passed, it will replace the maps currently set by the Independent Redistricting Commission and remain in effect until 2031. California voters approved the establishment of the “California Citizens Redistricting Commission” through referendums in 2008 and 2010, with the aim of eliminating political factors in the redistricting process for congressional districts, state legislative districts, and State Board of Equalization districts. If Proposition 50 is approved, the Independent Redistricting Commission will still exist legally, but the commissioners will temporarily lose the authority to delineate California’s districts and regain that authority after the 2030 census.
Supporters of Proposition 50 argue that the proposal is a response to actions by Republican-led states such as Texas to redistrict congressional districts before the 2026 elections. However, opponents argue that California’s redistricting plan constitutes “gerrymandering” and undermines the authority of the Independent Redistricting Commission, going against the will of California voters.
California’s attempt to redraw congressional districts has drawn nationwide attention. Former President Obama and Governor Newsom have jointly called for support of Proposition 50, stating that it is a test for American democracy.
Republican lawmakers have criticized Newsom’s actions. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, and Proposition 50 is a perfect example of that,” DeMaio’s “Reform California” podcast cited an ad opposing Proposition 50 on the October 29th episode, saying, “Proposition 50 destroys the independent redistricting process, deprives Californians of their rights, and wastes $300 million – money that should have gone to schools. Manipulating elections is not right.”
DeMaio is also pushing another election-related proposal called the “Establish Additional Voter Identification and Citizenship Verification Requirements,” which is also in the signature collection phase. The proposal requires voters to present identification when voting at polling stations or provide the last four digits of their government-issued identification number when voting by mail, in addition to the existing voter registration identification requirements.
The proposal also mandates the state government to issue voter ID cards upon application and requires election officials to report the percentage of verified citizen voters annually. The deadline for signatures on this voter ID proposal is March 18, 2026, and 25% of the required signatures have been collected as of October 22.
If both proposals receive enough signatures and pass verification, they will be included on the ballot for the 2026 midterm elections for voters to decide.