California voters approve Proposition 50 to temporarily redraw election boundaries, a move Democrats say counters Republican gerrymandering efforts.
LOS ANGELES: California voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to temporarily redraw the state’s electoral districts in a direct response to Republican redistricting efforts.
Early official results showed Proposition 50 passing by a two-to-one margin, with major media outlets projecting it would maintain a significant majority when final tallies are complete.
Governor Gavin Newsom hailed the result as a powerful message to what he called “the most historically unpopular president in modern history.”
The measure allows for a politically-drawn redistricting that could give Democrats five additional seats in the battle for control of the US Congress in next year’s midterm elections.
Newsom and his allies framed the initiative as necessary to level the playing field after Texas Republicans pushed through their own redistricting under White House pressure.
“Why else is he trying to rig the midterm elections before one single vote is even cast?” Newsom asked about President Trump.
Republicans condemned the move as a power grab that would disenfranchise their voters in California.
President Trump responded angrily on social media, calling the vote “a GIANT SCAM” and claiming the entire process was “RIGGED” without providing evidence.
California had previously eliminated partisan gerrymandering under former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, establishing an independent commission to draw district boundaries instead.
If confirmed, the new politically-drawn boundaries will remain in effect until the next census, when the independent commission will resume its mapping responsibilities.
Los Angeles Times columnist Mark Barbarak described the vote as “a political ink-blot test” that voters interpret based on their political立场.
Voters at Los Angeles polling stations expressed mixed feelings about temporarily setting aside the independent commission.
“I’ll take anything we can get,” Casey Mason told AFP. “We got to sometimes use the methods they’re using, whatever will get us moving forward.”
Makela Yepez acknowledged discomfort with bypassing the independent process but felt the ends justified the means. “I think we’re using the tools that are at our disposal,” he said. – AFP
