California has long positioned itself as a beacon of democratic reform. But Governor Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50—to redraw congressional maps mid-decade explicitly to flip five GOP-held seats—is a troubling departure from that legacy. It’s not just a tactical counter to Texas; it’s a strategic surrender to the very logic of winner-take-all politics.
Newsom’s plan places gerrymandered maps on the November ballot, aiming to override the state’s independent redistricting commission and tilt the playing field toward Democrats until 2030. His justification? To “counter MAGA extremists in Texas.” But in doing so, he embraces the same anti-democratic tools he claims to oppose.
This is not reform. It’s retaliation. And it exposes the fatal flaw of single-member, winner-take-all districts: our electoral system itself.
California’s congressional districts, like most across the country, operate under a winner-take-all, single-member model. That means each district elects one representative, and whoever gets the most votes—whether it’s 51% or just a plurality—wins the seat. Everyone else? Silenced.
This system disenfranchises millions of voters. In competitive districts, nearly half the electorate ends up with no representation. In “safe” districts, the dominant party can win every cycle without meaningful opposition.
Proposition 50, however, is merely the symptom of a much deeper disease. The problem isn’t just the gerrymander—it’s the system that makes gerrymandering so powerful.
When one party can win 100% of representation with barely half the vote, the stakes of redistricting become existential. Every line drawn is a battle for control. Every district a zero-sum game. And every voter outside the majority becomes expendable.
There’s a better way. It’s called proportional representation.
Instead of electing one winner per district, proportional representation uses multi-member districts and allocates seats based on vote share. If a party earns 40% of the vote, it gets roughly 40% of the seats. Every vote counts. Every voice matters.
Here’s how it could work: California could group its congressional districts into larger regions, each electing up to ten representatives. Voters would cast ballots for parties or candidates, and seats would be distributed proportionally. If Democrats win 50% of the vote in a region, they get half the seats. If Republicans win 30%, they get three out of ten. Smaller parties and independents could also earn seats if they reach a threshold—say, 10% of the vote.
This system would dramatically reduce the power of gerrymandering. When multiple winners are chosen per district, manipulating boundaries doesn’t guarantee control. It also ensures that minority groups—political, ethnic, ideological—gain representation without needing geographic concentration or partisan favor.
Proportional representation is already used in 130 countries, including Germany, New Zealand, Mexico, and Japan. It’s not radical. It’s rational.
And it’s especially relevant for California.
We pride ourselves on accountable governance. We’ve pioneered open meeting laws, campaign finance transparency, and public access to government records. But if we allow mid-cycle gerrymanders—no matter how noble the justification—we risk becoming the very thing we claim to oppose.
Proposition 50 may be framed as a counterattack against Republican gerrymanders in Texas. But “fighting fire with fire” only burns the foundation of democratic legitimacy. If California wants to lead, it must reject the logic of winner-take-all and embrace a system that reflects its people—not just its party.
Proportional representation would end the gerrymander arms race, ensure fair representation for all Californians, and restore trust in elections.
Let’s stop drawing lines to win. Let’s start designing systems to represent.
California has the opportunity to lead the nation in democratic reform. But it won’t happen through partisan map-rigging. It will happen when we build a system where maps don’t decide outcomes—voters do.
Duane Roberts is editor and publisher of the Anaheim Investigator blog and has been registered to vote “no party preference” since 2018.