On Friday afternoon, Aug. 15, more than 24 hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom officially launched his redistricting campaign, a picture began to emerge of how California’s congressional districts may change.
The Democrat-controlled California Legislature released the highly anticipated maps one day after Newsom kicked off a campaign calling for mid-decade redistricting to counter efforts by Republicans in states like Texas who, upon the urging of President Donald Trump, are considering similar efforts to pick up more GOP seats and secure their control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
California’s redistricting efforts would only apply to congressional boundary lines, and the changes, should voters approve them, would only be implemented if Republican-led states also move forward with partisan redistricting, Newsom has said. These new congressional lines would be in place for elections in 2026, 2028, and 2030, then the state would revert back to an independent commission deciding congressional district boundaries.
Both the state Senate and Assembly elections committees have hearings scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 19, to consider the maps. The legislature is expected to vote next week on whether to place the proposed maps on the Nov. 4 ballot for voters to consider.
The proposed maps were submitted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the California Legislature to consider.
Julie Merz, the DCCC’s executive director, said in the letter, a copy of which was provided to the Southern California News Group, that what her organization proposed “serves the best interest of California voters, while also attempting to push back against the corrupt scheme occurring in Texas and other Republican-majority states where Republicans – doing the bidding of their DC party bosses – are considering adopting a clearly racially gerrymandered, partisan map at the expense of their voters.”
California Republicans have largely decried efforts to redo California’s congressional maps mid-cycle. Redistricting is typically done every 10 years, consistent with new census data, and boundary lines here are decided by an independent group.
Merz, though, said the DCCC’s proposal for California keeps communities together better than what’s been proposed in Texas.
“Our proposed map was created using traditional redistricting criteria, consistent with guidelines laid out by the California’s Citizen Redistricting Commission,” Merz said. “It allows for more compact districts than in the current Commission-drawn map, keeps more communities and neighborhoods together, splits fewer cities and makes minimal disruptions to the Commission-drawn map so as to impact as few residents as possible.”
Here’s a look at how cities in L.A. County could be impacted, should the DCCC’s map be adopted:
California’s 26th Congressional District: The district currently includes parts of Ventura and L.A. counties and is represented by Julia Brownley. The northern portion would extend further east, picking up Quartz Hill. The district would include 43% registered Democrats, 28% Republicans and 28% no party preference/other.
California’s 27th Congressional District: Currently represented by George Whitesides, the district would still include Lancaster, Palmdale and Santa Clarita. It would drop further down into the San Fernando Valley, picking up Reseda and Lake Balboa. But it would lose communities such as Acton and Quartz Hill. The district would become 42% Democratic and 27% Republican. Another 29% other or no party preference.
California’s 28th Congressional District: Currently represented by Judy Chu, the district would keep core constituencies on its west, including Pasadena, Monterey Park and Arcadia, but moving east it would lose more of its inland areas, including Claremont. A sizeable portion in the middle of the current map, covering the San Gabriel River, that was carved out of the last redistricting, would become part of the district. The district would be 45% Democrat, 23% Republican and 31% other or no party preference.
California’s 29th Congressional District: The district, represented by Luz Rivas, currently encompasses towns such as Panorama City, Arleta, Van Nuys, Valley Village, Sylmar, San Fernando and farther north into Indian Springs. Under the new maps, it would lose area in the Kagel and Lopez Canyon area, and extend east more along the Foothill 210 freeway toward a border with Sunland. The district would end up being 53% Democrat and 15% Republican under the new maps.
California’s 30th Congressional District: The district, represented by Laura Friedman, now encompasses Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, and bordering up against La Canada Flintridge, and would gain area currently farther north in the 27th District. That includes Acton and Agua Dulce. The district would be 53% Democrat and 17% Republican.
California’s 31st Congressional District: Represented by Gil Cisneros, the district currently includes San Gabriel Valley cities such as Azusa, West Covina, Covina, El Monte, La Verne on the east and down to the Pomona (60) Freeway on the south. Under the new maps, the district would lose some ground on its northwest corner, but keep Monrovia, gain some ground above Glendora and significant area in Pomona, Chino and Montclair. Under the new maps, the district would end up 44% Democrat, 25% Republican, 29% no party preference/other.
California’s 32nd Congressional District: The district, represented by Democrat Brad Sherman, includes Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Northridge, Chatsworth and toward the coast into the Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu. Under the new maps, the district would keep the coastal area, but make a new reach into Simi Valley. It’s voter registration makeup would end up being 47% Democrat, 23% Republican and 28% no party preference or other.
California’s 34th Congressional District: This district, represented by Jimmy Gomez, includes downtown L.A. and East L.A. and would look similar to how it looks today. The voter breakdown would also remain similar, with 59% registered Democrats and 10% Republicans. Those who identify as no party preference/other would make up another 29%.
California’s 35th Congressional District: Claremont, Upland, Ontario, Fontana, Chino Hills, Eastvale, Norco and part of Corona would be in this district, currently represented by Norma Torres. Its voter registration would be 43% Democratic, 29% no party preference/third party and 26% Republican.
California’s 36th Congressional District: This coastal district, represented by Ted Lieu, stretches from Santa Monica south to Rancho Palos Verdes and includes Beverly Hills. There’s not much change to this district, which would remain 50% registered Democrats. Registered Republicans would make up 20% of the district, with another 28% representing no party preference/other.
California’s 37th Congressional District: This district represents communities in south and southwest L.A., including South Vermont and Culver City. The district, currently represented by Sydney Kamlager-Dove, would have its current configuration largely intact, including its voter breakdown. Sixty-three percent of the voters would be registered Democrats, 8% Republicans and 27% no party preference/other.
California’s 38th Congressional District: Yorba Linda would be included in this district that is mostly in southern Los Angeles County, snaking around to include Diamond Bar and El Monte. This district would include 45% registered Democratic voters, 30% no party preference/other and 24% Republican. Rep. Linda Sánchez currently represents this district.
California’s 42nd Congressional District: This coastal district would put Huntington Beach and Newport Beach in Orange County into the same district as L.A. County’s Long Beach. Registered Democrats would make up 40% of the voters in this proposed district, along with 30% Republicans and 28% no party preference/other. Rep. Robert Garcia currently represents this district.
California’s 43rd Congressional District: This district, represented by Maxine Waters, would look quite similar to its current configuration and include Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena and Torrance, as well as Compton and Watts. It would remain about 59% registered Democrat and go from 11.7% Republican to 11%. About 29% would be no party preference/other.
California’s 44th Congressional District: Currently represented by Nanette Barragán, this district, which includes South L.A. and Harbor cities, would pick up Huntington Park in the north. It would become 55% registered Democrats, 14% Republicans and 29% no party preference/other.
California’s 45th Congressional District: This snaking district, currently represented by Derek Tran, includes Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley and Westminster in Orange County, while also picking up Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens in Los Angeles County. It’s largely similar to how the 45th District looks now, but this one snakes down toward the coast, around Seal Beach, a bit more. Here, 39% of registered voters are Democrats, 30% are Republicans and 30% are no party preference/other.