"prop 50 has passed but what is it?" --PAloma Bastos, 7th grade
On November 4, 2025, California held a statewide election for Proposition 50. Proposition 50 is a retaliation against Trump and the Texas government's actions on various issues. What has happened since Proposition 50 passed, and what would have happened if it hadn’t? If it hadn’t, would we really have had “protected elections,” as many Republicans say?
You may have seen signs on the street while driving, or maybe ads while watching TV, discussing Prop 50 and telling you to vote “yes” or “no”– but what is the proposition? What would voting yes or no mean?
Proposition 50 will allow California to adopt a temporary congressional district map, drawn by the state legislature, from 2026 to 2030, according to Vote Forward. California is not supposed to be having a redistricting until 2031; doing it this early would counter President Donald Trump's plan to rig next year’s congressional election.
But how will this affect us? According to KQED, “Proposition 50 will place communities with little in common in the same House district, thereby maximizing the chances of a Democratic victory.” Therefore, Trump may face a more challenging time working with Congress to pass laws. The bill being passed means democrats would have a much higher chance of taking back Congress, and creating a divided government.
What does a yes or no mean on Prop 50? A yes is going to provide a temporary congressional district map drawn by the state legislature from 2026 to 2030. Doing this will change Trump's plan to mess with the next congressional election. If Trump messes with the election, there will be more Republicans in the House, who will likely be in favor of Trump. Proposition 50 simply creates more districts with Democratic majorities. A no on Prop 50 will mean that the current congressional district maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will continue to be used until the next redistricting, which is scheduled for 2031.
By October 30th, 5 million ballots had been returned out of the 23 million mailed to voters earlier this month. By November 4, Election Day, around 6.7 million ballots had been returned out of the 23 million.
After election day, California voters overwhelmingly passed Prop 50, and in all states that held elections, there was a Democratic victory.
But why are people happy about this? Shannon Phillips, an OSA parent, says, “Prop 50 creates five new districts expected to vote for Democrats. It expires in a few years, so that we'll automatically stop gerrymandering and go back to drawing fair districts. Hopefully the Republicans will too,” She also stated that she voted for Prop 50 and is very happy that it passed.
Proposition 50 is important for California and many people of various ages; although children do not have influence on elections, they still can have an opinion on topics like this. Amara Deanes, an 8th grader in Literary Arts, mentions, “I would have felt hopeless [if Prop 50 didn’t pass] Prop 50 was a chance to make the government fair. It gave Californians a voice, and [a] protest against Trump's policies.”
Sofia Gonzalez, a 6th grader in Literary Arts, agreed, “I would be very mad [if Prop 50 did not pass].”
Deanes says, “Democrats aren't necessarily good policy makers, or actually care. They're still rich politicians.” Deanes then added, “But [fewer] Republicans means more liberal policies.”
After California's Proposition 50 passed, Trump has described Proposition 50 as unconstitutional and a “giant scam.” Although Trump might never stop slandering California, the people’s voices were heard on election day
