The next steps in California Democrats’ plan to counter Texas Republicans’ redistricting push

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is the first Democratic-led state to wade into a brewing national redistricting fight after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to draw new maps to maintain the party’s slim U.S. House majority after the 2026 midterm elections.

The Texas plan was temporarily stalled when minority Democrats left the state to stop the Legislature from passing any bills, but some lawmakers said they’ll return to Texas now that California is moving forward with its counter act.

Both parties hope to add five seats for their side.

Here’s what happens next in California:

Legislative approval

Lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Monday after summer break and plan to immediately take up the partisan plan. State Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers — enough to act without any Republican votes — and Newsom has said he’s not worried about winning the required support from two-thirds of lawmakers to advance the maps.

Lawmakers will hold hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday on a package of bills to establish the new congressional map, declare a Nov. 4 special election and authorize to reimburse local government for the costs. Elections committees in both houses are asking for public feedback on the proposed map, but it’s unlikely any changes would be made after the bills are officially introduced Monday.

Amendments to any legislation would require a 72-hour wait before a vote. That would jeopardize Democrats’ plan to approve the package by Thursday to give elections officials enough time to prepare ballots for a statewide election in November. State leaders already have blown past deadlines designed to give local officials adequate time for organizing an election.

Special elections are costly

California sends every voter a mail-in ballot roughly a month before each election. That means local officials have less than two months to prepare and print ballots.

They’re already preparing. On Friday, a coalition of county officials urged the Legislature to provide money in advance, because many counties are cash-strapped, and officials worry they won’t have enough money to administer the election.

A 2021 special election cost over $200 million to conduct. State Republicans this week estimated this year’s would cost $235 million.

Democrats chose Nov. 4 for the election because Los Angeles County and others are already holding local elections that day.

An intense campaign

Newsom is leading the campaign in favor of the maps. He and Democrats signaled Thursday they’ll make the effort a referendum on Trump and tie it to the future of American democracy.

Perhaps the most prominent opponent will be former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who championed the state’s independent redistricting commission during his time in office. On Friday, he posted a photo of himself lifting weights on social media wearing a T-shirt that called to “terminate gerrymandering,” a nod to his role in the “Terminator” movies.

Republican donor Charles Munger Jr., who spent tens of millions to support the California ballot initiative that gives redistricting power to an independent commission, also plans to “vigorously defend” nonpartisan redistricting, his spokesperson said.

State Republicans say the move is a power grab by Democrats and some have vowed to go to court.

Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for governor, earlier this month paid for a legal opinion that says redistricting outside of the normal process and cycle violates the California Constitution. The new map wouldn’t be fair because state lawmakers are relying on outdated population data, he said.

Common Cause, a good governance group that supports independent redistricting, initially opposed California’s effort but this week reversed its stance. The group said it won’t challenge partisan redistricting in California if the effort is approved by voters, among other criteria.

A temporary change

California voters in 2010 gave the power to draw congressional maps to an independent commission, with the goal of making the process less partisan. The commission last redrew maps following the 2020 census, and the maps were in place for the 2022 and 2024 U.S. House elections.

Newsom and Democratic leaders say they’ll ask voters to approve their new maps only for the next few elections. They say they’ll return map-drawing power to the commission following the 2030 census.

The new map would take effect only if a Republican state moves forward with new maps.