Proposition 50 has successfully passed in California, with **64 percent** of voters supporting the measure compared to **36 percent** opposed, according to unofficial results. The Associated Press declared the initiative’s victory shortly after polls closed at **8 p.m.** on **November 4, 2025**. This outcome reflects a strong endorsement of the redistricting initiative across the Bay Area and specifically in Solano County, where **62.5 percent** of voters backed the measure.
The controversial Proposition 50, placed on the ballot by **Governor Gavin Newsom** and state Democrats, aims to temporarily replace California’s congressional district maps with new ones designed to favor Democratic candidates. This response follows similar redistricting efforts in Texas that are perceived to benefit Republican officials.
In Solano County, the measure garnered a significant **25-point margin** of victory. Voter turnout was reported at just over **35 percent**, with approximately **30,000** mail-in ballots and **4,000** provisional ballots still pending processing, as stated by **John Gardner**, Solano County’s Assistant Registrar of Voters. Gardner noted that the election proceeded smoothly, with the team performing efficiently.
“Election night went smoothly. The team did a great job and things ran like clockwork,” Gardner remarked. He added that the turnout was commendable for a special election focusing on a single item, comparing it to general elections where **40,000 to 70,000** ballots are typically submitted.
Significant support for Proposition 50 was evident throughout the Bay Area. In **San Francisco**, **84.1 percent** of voters approved the measure, followed closely by **80.6 percent** in Marin County, **79.9 percent** in Alameda County, and **75.5 percent** in San Mateo County. Sonoma County voters supported it at **74.2 percent**, while **71 percent** of voters in Santa Clara County and **70.7 percent** in Contra Costa County backed the initiative. Napa County recorded **67.4 percent** approval. Solano County, while the most closely divided in the region, still exhibited strong support.
Turnout varied significantly across the Bay Area, with **30 percent** in Alameda County and nearly **47.5 percent** in Marin County. The overall statewide turnout was **35.1 percent**, closely aligning with Solano County’s figures.
Prominent Democrats, including Governor Newsom, **Representative Nancy Pelosi**, and former President **Barack Obama**, endorsed Proposition 50 as a means to “stand up to Trump and defend democracy.”
“What a night for the Democratic Party,” Newsom stated during an election night press conference. He characterized the victory as a “defeat for Trump,” suggesting that the former president recognized the implications of this outcome.
Some voters, like **Catrina Rivera**, **62**, from Fremont, expressed motivations driven more by opposition to Trump than by enthusiasm for redistricting itself. “These people are getting away with murder,” she said, reflecting a sentiment shared by many voters.
Conversely, not all constituents were in favor. **Jim Nelson**, a Republican voter at the Veterans’ Memorial Building in Fremont, criticized the measure, stating, “I don’t think that the state on a whim should change the rules any way they want.”
Opponents, including former House Speaker **Kevin McCarthy**, California GOP Chair **Corrin Rankin**, and Republican donor **Charles Munger Jr.**, condemned Proposition 50, labeling it a “power grab.” Rankin referred to the existing independent redistricting commission as the “gold standard” for balancing power among political factions.
Munger, who helped establish California’s current redistricting system, invested over **$30 million** in efforts to defeat Proposition 50, cautioning voters that “gerrymandering is wrong, no matter who does it.”
Currently, Democrats occupy all but nine of California’s **52 House** seats. The newly proposed maps are expected to strengthen their position ahead of the **2026 midterm elections**, targeting Republican-held districts in Southern California, the Central Valley, and parts of Northern California.
As the dust settles on this decisive victory, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact national political dynamics. For now, voters in the Bay Area and across California have made their voices heard in support of Proposition 50 and the Democratic agenda it aims to promote.
