How much would CA’s new redistricting plans cost?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
The state Senate during a floor session of the California Legislature at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Florence Middleton, CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to redraw California’s congressional maps is the marquee item on the state Legislature’s agenda, now that lawmakers are back today from summer recess and eyeing a frenetic schedule to decide the fate of more than 200 other bills in the next few weeks.
As CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff explains, Democratic officials released new maps on Friday that would give the party a greater chance of picking up five more seats currently held by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2026 midterm elections. The maps would also help shore up seats barely held by Democrats in five other districts.
Before the end of this week, state lawmakers plan to hold a vote that would place the new maps on the ballot in a statewide special election. If passed, California voters would then decide on Nov. 4 whether to approve or reject the maps.
Newsom’s plan — which is in direct response to Texas’ own redistricting efforts — is being slammed by Republicans as an illegal power grab by Democrats. The National Republican Congressional Committee said in a statement that it was prepared to fight Newsom in court.
An estimate by Assembly Republicans calculated that the special election would cost taxpayers more than $235 million. The last special election, in which voters rejected recalling Newsom in 2021, cost about $200 million.
The state has pledged to cover the cost for counties for this election, and some early numbers have come in: Fresno and Riverside counties, for example, estimate it would cost them up to $4 million and $16 million, respectively.
Speaking of the maps: Alexei and CalMatters’ Jeremia Kimelman built a lookup tool that enables you to check if you could be affected by the redistricting plan. Though the new maps aim to give Democrats five more seats in the House, more districts could be altered. Check it out here.
Earlier: California Eyes November Special Election on Redrawing Maps Amid Texas Redistricting Moves
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
That would be a giant mistake. Trials and investigations take money. They already don’t have the money it takes for prosecution. But I am sure that is exactly what humboldt will do. They run around shooting themselves in the foot already. And are apparently looking for the next opportunity to do it again. Your law enforcement already has a incredibly low rate of solved homicide. THAT WILL ONLY SERVE TO MAKE IT LOWER. The part that gets me the most is they are not smart enough to be embarrassed! Why don’t you guys just storm the capitol?
Because “you guys” are mostly Democrats around here = they want this.
In a nutshell.
The estimate of $235 million comes from the Assembly Republicans but it’s probably not too far off if the special election for the attempted recall of Newsom cost $200 million in 2021.
But look for the same people who didn’t bat an eye at spending $200 million trying to recall Newsom throw a fit over the cost of this special election.
There is a major difference in political partisans spending the people’s money on trying to recall an opposing partisan official and political partisans spending the people’s money to suspend a popular law designed to minimize the damage political partisanship itself does.
The Democrats are declaring war on the people themselves for the sole reason that they have the power to do it. They are so embarrassed by their own actions they want to pawn off the responsibility onto the public by spending more money to hold a special election. And calling it conditional and temporary as if the grasping of power is ever conditional or temporary.
It is silly to further pander to their own embarrassment by spinning the money issue, which obviously will have endless costs to be charged every time one party or another has a hissy fit and thinks they can always change laws to suit, but the worst damage will be a further escalation of the American descent into raw power political wars. The rule of law the Democrats charge Trump with misusing means nothing if law itself changes with the political tides.
Trump playing with convenient political redistricting in Texas may suck- I don’t know the laws in Texas to know. But I do know that California has a good law that deserves more respect than to be sacrificed out of fear of one old man who may keel over tomorrow. The Democrats of California are displaying even more of their own abusive contempt for the law than they accuse Trump of having.
Better read this. We have more to worry about than Newsom’s plan. It is starting to look like a good idea if it will keep Trump in check.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-vows-target-mail-in-ballots-ahead-2026-midterm-election-2025-08-18/
The Ridiculous Left thinks everyone is as afraid of Trump as they are. For a group of people that constantly derides Trump for his making “promises on day one” that haven’t been fulfilled, why are they do they act as if every statement he makes is going to be the death of civilization? Considering what liberals did themselves out of FOT in trying to “Trump proof” the government before he took office, Trump is the most sensible thing to come along in a decade.
Hello? Trump sucks, the people who idolize him suck but those who are so irrationally horrified by him suck far worse. Look out before the general public only see two choices with government- either expect government to control every aspect of life like Soviet style communism or refuse to accept any government at all. If we aren’t already there.
Voter suppression’s the name of the game — smaller turnouts consistently favor so-called conservatives — which Is why voter suppression is an important part of the Republican playbook.
Somehow the idea that the proposed official redistricting ploy, which touts itself for clearly stated goal of Republican voter suppression by the Democrats, lead to your statement that voter suppression is the goal of the Republicans and only of the Republicans?
Uh, TEXAS????
That was the stated goal of Texas redistricting. Do you really not remember that?
Two weeks ago?
If drumpf didn’t KNOW he would lose control of the house in the midterm he would not have STARTED this in Texas.
I whined about the millions spent on the recall and voted against the recall even though I think Newsom is a crooked, self seving slimeball. He was duly elected and short of proven unlawful activities should be allowed to finish his term.
And now I’m whining about spending millions on this special election because it’s a blatant attempt to disenfranchise a significant number of voters (like me) because another state is doing it. What a childish way to respond to someone else’s behavior. This new map takes great care to NOT affect blacks and Latinos, but specifically targets me because I hold different political views than the majority of California voters. Picking and choosing who to deprive of representation (whether based on race or politics) for your own benefit is just wrong, no matter what state is doing it.
If Newsom would have been recalled, we may have saved ourselves AT LEAST $35 million, considering the recall effort ONLY cost us $200 million, and Newsom’s redistricting gerrymandering push is NOW gonna cost us $235 million…
GO FIGURE…!!!
Exactly, squandering $200m for a failed “coup” versus spending even twice that amount to preserve our democracy and its values, there is no comparison.
If team D wants to win elections they should enact (not “Fight for”) policies average people want and stop kneecapping candidates to the left of Wall St. and the military industrial and medical complexes.
The Right dose not like the, Wall Street, the military industrial, and medical complexes either.
Perhaps but unfortunately many politicians – on BOTH sides- have been bought by those interests. So it’s hard to even say which political side is cleaner. I think generally the voters on both sides do not like these interests but they are continuously deceived and bamboozled by the politicians on both sides! Are there any honest politicians left on either side?!
Exactly Farce! A turd doesn’t have a clean side.
Great aphorism! I ask permission to borrow.
I didn’t coin it, I borrowed it (don’t know who to credit). I’ve usually heard end instead of side, but the change seemed appropriate here.
Text in the article is compressed on the left edge of the area.
It is the linear thinking of redistricting.
I was wondering if I was the only one experiencing a formatting issue with this article.
Kym, can you please help?
It’s formatting stock photos one way and text another. If you let the photos dangle off screen, the text is fine. Ignore the man behind the screen!
I just went to the site it was reprinted from.
https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-things-to-know/
You’re welcome
I’m sorry. I was gone but Lisa fixed it.
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”
Being one that looks at everything with a degree of suspicion, it occurs to me that the redistricting plot bears scrutiny. Having a greater fondness for the State of California than Texas I will delve into the California politics.
The Democrats think that all they have to do is dilute the Republican Congressional districts out of existence. I wonder how well they have thought about the possible end result.
Like a giant blue amoeba, they squirm and gobble up a contiguous line of red districts until they only have a slight blue majority. Now, instead of a solid blue, powerful district, they have become only a slightly blue, much less powerful district.
Only a few blue voters need to change to red voters to make the big blue district into a big red district.
“Let the games began.” The Hunger Games.
If the folx pushing this had integrity, that (plus the money) would be the cost. California is already gerrymandered to the point where Dems received 58.5% of the last Presidential vote but hold 83% of our House seats (43 out of 52). Dems rattle on about wanting everyone to be represented, but their actions don’t match their words.
2024 was 56% to 42% in texas. but texas is not know for integrity. it probably won’t matter anyway. Trump’s approval rating will be around 30% by this time next year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election_in_Texas
Yes on the 56/42. So Republicans got 56% of the vote but hold 25 of 38 seats (66%).
So to recap:
Texas 10% larger share of House seats than votes (for R). California 24% larger share of House seats than votes (for D).
If Texas gerrymanders up 7 more seats they will make up for California’s current lopsided representation.
“The state has pledged, [that the State’s taxpayers will be expected], to cover the cost for counties for this election…”
There, fixed it…
And here’s a better question…
“HOW MUCH WOULD CA’S NEW REDISTRICTING [SCAM/SCHEME] COST [GAVIN NEWSOM AND HIS EQUALLY CORRUPT CRONIES]?”…
…AND…
…WHAT DO GAVIN NEWSOM AND HIS EQUALLY CORRUPT CRONIES STAND TO GAIN FROM CA’S NEW REDISTRICTING SCAM/SCHEME…???
Proportional representation now! If CA is 33% Republic, and Texas is 33% Democrat, then the congressional delegations should reflect that.
CA was 38% republican in 2024 and TX was 42% democrat in 2024 according to Wiki.
What’s next…???
Will Gavin Newsom and his equally corrupt cronies try and legislate that only women can vote…???
Don’t worry, it will require voter approval…
That should set you all perfectly at ease…
When they know even the fraud won’t help them win, they will just change everything so it’s in their favor 😂🤡
This clown behavior is happening on both sides what a shit show
Whatever it costs would be well worth it.
Reminiscent of 1932… in Germany. Bolsheviks vs Nazi’s. Pre civil-war stuff.
“HOW MUCH WOULD CA’S NEW REDISTRICTING PLANS COST?”
-RHBB-
____________________________________________
Excellent Question…
BUT, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE…
HOW MUCH DID CALIFORNIA’S CURRENT COSTLY REDISTRICTING RESTRICTIONS COST…???
……………..
AND WHY AREN’T THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THOSE CURRENT COSTLY REDISTRICTING RESTRICTIONS BEING STRICTLY AND LAWFULLY ADHERED TO BY GAVIN NEWSOM, OUR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR, OF ALL PEOPLE…???
AND WHY DON’T ALL OF HIS SYCOPHANTS REALIZE THAT IF GAVIN NEWSOM, OUR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR, OF ALL PEOPLE, DOESN’T STRICTLY AND LAWFULLY ABIDE BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OUR CURRENT COSTLY REDISTRICTING RESTRICTIONS, HE IS JUST AS UNLIKELY TO LAWFULLY ABIDE BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF HIS PROPOSED NEW REDISTRICTING PLANS…
Newsom’s maligned legislative redistricting proposal travesty dupliciously attempts to sleazily circumvent the current functionally democratic redistricting law, with a clearly conflicting dysfunctional undemocratic redistricting law, rendering the currently established law meaningless…
Newsom is attempting to single handedly gut established law…
He must not be allowed even one single fraction of an inch, in his relentless quest for the proverbial mile…
Gavin Newsom is not “WE THE PEOPLE”…!!!
Democrats have already gerrymandered most of California and Newscum wants even more. This unnecessary election will cost Californian taxpayers $268 million.
Tx is evil and wrong for in their action of trying to redistrict so CA is going to call them out, call them names, then do the same damn thing. I guess hyprocricy is not a word Newsome is familiar with
No price is too high if it prevents the fascist coup
I get it. Government wastes LOTS of our tax dollars (thinking more of federal taxes, but also giving it to the endless ‘needs’ of Cal Trans, etc).
BUT, what is the price of insuring that Republicans cannot maintain control in Congress? For that, whatever the price, is worth it! (Best that it not be borne by CA, and shared nationally though. Maybe other states can chip in? …..Yeah. Not likely).