California voters widely prefer keeping independent redistricting panel: Poll

[RandySF]

California voters widely prefer keeping the state’s independent redistricting commission, new polling shows, as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) threatens to bypass it to counter GOP gerrymandering in other states.

A Politico-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey found 36 percent of California voters support returning congressional redistricting authority to the state Legislature, compared to 64 percent who back the independent redistricting commission.

Newsom has pledged to move forward with plans for redistricting in the Golden State as a direct response to Republican-led redrawing efforts elsewhere.

President Trump and others in the GOP have been urging several red states to do mid-decade redistricting and expand the party’s midterm pickup opportunities. In Texas, state Democrats fled to break quorum this month over a proposal that would net five GOP House seats.


https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5451810-california-voters-back-independent-redistricting/

[Mz Pip]

1. I "prefer" it, too

But what’s at stake far outweighs my preference. If I had my preference, the whole country would do away with gerrymandering.
Unfortunately, that’s never going to happen.
We have to be able to play the cards we were dealt.

[DSandra]

7. The message currently being communicated is: being good gets you nowhere

As Republicans cheat and trample everything America has left. Fascism is the Ragnarok of democracy.

[flamingdem]

17. This kind of poll or whatever it is

does not state the matter correctly.

You do!

[GoodRaisin]

9. Rallies too. We need for top Democratic leaders to go to California and rally support between

now and November. This is an all hands on deck issue. Clearly there is much work to do.

[JBTaurus83]

3. All Dems in

CA office will need to be out speaking to the public about this issue.

[FBaggins]

4. There was a push for this about 15 years ago

We lost by almost exactly the proportions implied in this poll.

[hannah]

5. Ok

Sure the Hill

[GoodRaisin]

6. "No" votes are votes to give Krasnov even more power over their lives.

They have to be made to understand their reality vs. their ideal world. Those saying no do not understand. When they do, Democrats should turn out to vote the same way Californians turn out to vote for presidents.

[Nimble_Idea]

8. to all those in this thread. if this is the actual case, and there is no counter for TX, then it is over. this country

is truly fucked.

and I will wish you all the fucking best. I will then be with Tim Apples and bless your hearts.

[FBaggins]

10. Hyperbole is useful for energizing low-interest voters... but that's nonsense

The average loss in the House for the president's party in a mid-term election is 25 seats... and this guy is a long way from the popularity of normal presidents.

[Jack Valentino]

19. It is only five seats---- I fully expect the midterm backlash against Trump fascism in 2026

to be a LOT more than five seats---

and the five seats Texas has drawn which they expect to go Republican
are dependent upon hispanic voters who went for Trump in 2024 to
vote for the Republican congressional candidate in 2026--

that is NOT a given, and according to current polls, is seeming unlikely!

Meanwhile, Texas Republicans have weakened other Republican districts to draw these 5---

they may have just drawn a "dummy-mander" which will backfire on them in Texas---
and their actions have infuriated Democratic voters nationwide, which should increase the backlash voting...

All is NOT "lost" at this point, and it is counter-productive to say that it is.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. The Results Will Be Contingent On How It's Sold.

[FBaggins]

12. Which is why I've been saying it's a mistake to share the map now

They should just push the justice of offsetting TX's move and that's it's just a temporary process change handing the legislature control that will revert to the commission with the next census. Then the legislature can act after the vote succeeds.

Putting out a 49-3 map just hands ammunition to the opposition (which will not be limited to the right wing).

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I oppose all gerrymandering. Baker Versus Carr Is dead.

When one party gerrymanders anywhere, it dilutes the power of votes everywhere.

[MichMan]

15. Even to achieve majority-minority districts per the VRA?

Most if not all are gerrymandered

[Midwestern Democrat]

22. California's congressional delegation is already so overwhelmingly Democratic (43-9) that gerrymandering is going to

be a difficult sell to anyone other than very partisan Democrats - there's not a single objective person in California who honestly thinks the GOP's current 17% share of the House seats is too much representation - in comparison Trump got 38% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election and Steve Garvey got 41% in the Senate election.

[David__77]

23. Actually putting out the map makes clear the partisan implications which helps it.

If people think those few seats will change control in Congress they’re largely going to vote based on who they want to control Congress, regardless of their ideal good government thinking.

[FBaggins]

24. If that were true they never would have taken the power away in the first place

You have to ask yourself why they did that (with the DNC, state legislature, and democrats in Congress opposing). Then ask which options are most likely to alleviate those concerns.

Because we lost big the last time we tried this.

[David__77]

25. Interestingly when passed, the independent redistricting helped CA Democrats.

For instance the post-2000 redistricting was pretty Republican-friendly even with Democrats fully in control. Apparently, incumbent protection was the main motivator, even with term limits in place.

I don’t think voters viewed the choice in a partisan lens when this passed, and indeed it didn’t hurt Democrats.

[MichMan]

14. Speculating that some voters don't trust that taking the power away from the commission is going to be temporary

[FBaggins]

16. Very likely... but it's also likely that many are just consistent in their principals

While the voters of California overwhelmingly support Democrats (at least as compared to republicans)... they have also overwhelmingly opposed the legislature drawing the political lines (even when Democrats tell them that it's essential).

We have a little less than three months to convince them that this scenario is uniquely important enough to change their minds. The good news is that some progress appears to have been made. I saw a statement today from Common Cause (expected to oppose the move) that seemed like they could support it.

[The Bopper]

18. You're fighting the wrong war

They fight like the Viet Cong, we’re supposed to be Neville Chamberlain. If you want purity, you’ll have to tell us the date and time we will surrender, because nothing in politics is ever pure.

[RandySF]

20. Don't worry, I'm voting 'Yes'

[tritsofme]

21. Polls at this point aren't that important, there are hundreds of millions of dollars yet to be spent on this election.

[SSJVegeta]

26. That isnt the ballot question so this article is kinda irrelevant. The ballot question isnt shifting authority.

Last edited Fri Aug 15, 2025, 11:43 AM - Edit history (1)

Its an actual proposed series of maps that people will vote on.

[gab13by13]

27. "The Hill" is a right wing rag,

Posting shit from it probably comes from Russia, IMO.

Newsom only wants to gerrymander temporarily. He would like to go back to the independent commission when the playing field is leveled.

Who the hell conducted this poll? Big Balls? If Californians want to lose their democracy they have been propagandized.