This week, the Legislature approved and the Governor signed a package of bills that set a dangerous precedent by authorizing gerrymandered congressional districts.
- ACA 8 – Places a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to suspend the existing redistricting system and hand power back to politicians.
- AB 604 – Provides the new congressional maps, drawn behind closed doors
- SB 280 – Calls a statewide special election on November 4, 2025, to approve the plan.
This package was rushed forward without public input or transparency. The price of this package being jammed through is high for taxpayers: more than $200 million.
Californians are already living under a supermajority that doesn’t reflect the state’s diverse values. Now, instead of addressing the challenges families face every day, the Governor and legislative leaders want to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a special election to redraw maps that sideline Republicans, silence independent voters, and give even more control to progressive Democrats.
The purpose is clear: lock in more safe seats for one party and tilt the balance of power even further. California’s representation is already out of balance. Democrats make up about 46% of registered voters but hold 83% of our congressional seats. Republicans account for 26% of voters but hold only 17% of seats.
Nearly a quarter of Californians are independents, and yet they are left with little meaningful representation. This plan only makes things worse.
In fact, independent voters are the ones most harmed by gerrymandering. In competitive districts, independents hold real influence and force candidates to be accountable to all voters. But under these new maps, competitive districts disappear, leaving independents trapped in progressive seats where the outcome is predetermined and their voices carry little weight.
To make matters worse, lawmakers moved this package forward without providing basic fiscal information. Questions were raised about how much redrawing the maps has already cost, how far beyond the $200 million the special election could exceed, and if consideration has been given to the cost of inevitable lawsuits. No clear answers were given. Despite this uncertainty, the bills were advanced.
The timing is especially hard to justify. California faces a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit. Programs for vulnerable populations have been cut, including $75 million from disability services this year. Families are struggling with high costs of living, unsafe streets, and schools that fall short of expectations. Our roads, bridges, water systems, and wildfire defenses are in urgent need of investment. Yet this is what the supermajority chooses to prioritize.
This plan is clearly not about fairness or protecting democracy. It’s about consolidating political power, shutting down opposition, and ignoring the real challenges facing our state.
As your Senator, I will continue to hold Sacramento accountable, push back against wasteful spending, and fight for leadership that prioritizes solutions over partisan games. 
KELLY SEYARTO
State Senator, 32nd District