Republican lawmakers filed a 432-page lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to block Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan from the November ballot, contending the initiative violates the state Constitution and Californians’ rights to fair, nonpartisan electoral maps. The lawsuit asserts the ballot measure asks voters two distinct questions: whether Congress should amend the U.S. Constitution to require independent redistricting nationwide and whether to replace nonpartisan districts in 2026, 2028 and 2030 with partisan lines favoring Democrats. Plaintiffs characterize the combined proposal as an illegal, take-it-or-leave-it choice that forces supporters of independent commissions into a conundrum.
California Republicans again asked the state Supreme Court on Monday to block Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan from the November ballot, arguing that the hastily assembled initiative violates the state Constitution. In a 432-page lawsuit, Republican lawmakers said the effort by Democrats to unwind the state's nonpartisan congressional districts is a violation of Californians' rights to fair and nonpartisan electoral maps. The party made a similar argument last week in an emergency petition to the state Supreme Court that was denied without a hearing.
The ballot measure was crafted by Democrats as a retaliatory strike against the GOP-led Texas Legislature, which has passed new congressional districts that would help Republicans pick up five seats in the 2026 midterm elections. The California plan, which is headed to voters Nov. 4 under the name Proposition 50, would throw out the state's nonpartisan maps in favor of boundaries that would tilt the scales for Democrats.
Collection
[
|
...
]