THE SAN MATEO County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution Tuesday declaring support for state Proposition 50, a ballot measure that would allow the temporary redrawing of congressional districts in California.
Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, was crafted by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a direct response to Texas’ congressional redistricting to favor Republicans. Proponents of Prop. 50 allege that Texas moved to gerrymander because Republicans believe they cannot do well in upcoming midterm elections in 2026, which could return power to Democrats. Backers of the proposition believe that it will give Democrats a level playing field when state representatives are elected to Congress.
San Mateo County is the latest among several local governments in the state to weigh in on the proposition. The Board moved forward with formally endorsing Prop. 50 at Tuesday’s regular meeting with four ‘yes’ votes and one abstaining vote. Board President David Canepa and District 4 Supervisor Lisa Gauthier co-sponsored the resolution.
“Texas and President Trump cannot silence California,” Canepa said. “This is a stand against election rigging and a signal to the entire world that we here in the Golden State are ready to fight for democracy and fight against authoritarianism with every tool we have, including the ballot box.”
The vote follows a rally led by Canepa and Gauthier on Monday, where they were joined by dozens of supporters to encourage a ‘yes’ vote on Prop. 50.
District 3 Supervisor Ray Mueller, who participated virtually due to being sick, decided to abstain from voting, citing what he sees as political bias in Prop. 50.
“I am going to abstain on this resolution,” he said. “Proposition 50’s underlying purpose is plainly partisan, to favor one political party over another in the redrawing of Congressional District lines.”
While he intended to vote on the resolution, he believes that the Board should not weigh in on matters that appear to side with one political party.
“I expect other non-partisan County offices, such as the Elections Office, the Controller’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and Tax Collector’s Office to exercise their county granted powers without displaying a political bias toward a person claiming membership in one political party over another,” he said. “So, I will conduct and restrain myself in the use of County power in the same manner.”
If passed, Prop. 50 would redraw the state’s congressional district maps temporarily, through 2030. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission, the independent body tasked with drawing new nonpartisan districts every 10 years, would redraw the lines in 2031.
