This article is a submission from Daniel Guerrero and Triton Democrats. Guerrero is a third-year American Politics major from Los Angeles and currently serves as President of Triton Democrats. Triton Democrats, established in 1985, is the official branch of the Democratic Party at UC San Diego and the largest College Democrats chapter in California.

Democracy isn’t dismantled overnight: It requires a constant assault of one ignored law after another. As President Donald Trump continues his attack on democracy, he sets his sights on forcefully securing a complacent Congress to assist his authoritarian efforts. There is one hope for Californians looking for a way to fight back: Proposition 50. 

Prop 50 is a statewide measure on your ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 4, that would temporarily redraw California’s congressional map. This map will be redrawn again during the regularly scheduled redistricting in 2030.

Redistricting typically occurs after census results are distributed to states. Every decade, new census data gives states the opportunity to draw updated maps that reflect population and demographic changes and ensure equal representation for their constituents. 

So, why is Prop 50 on the California ballot now, five years before 2030? This past July, Trump called upon the Texas Legislature to pursue a five-year early congressional redistricting effort — simply because Trump claimed he’s “entitled to five more seats.”  Under Trump’s guidance, Texas Republicans redrew the state’s congressional map to carve out districts that would ensure even more Republican victories in Texas congressional races. This would essentially guarantee that districts that have been consistently Democratic since 2008 will become safe Republican seats. 

Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to forcefully keep MAGA in control of the House of Representatives — without the consent of voters — should set off alarms for all Americans who value free and fair elections.

Though California voters passed constitutional amendments in 2008 and 2010 that left redistricting in the hands of an independent bipartisan commission, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature were recently called to act after Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided to gerrymander Texas’ congressional maps. Newsom approved a ballot measure, Prop 50, that would temporarily redraw California’s congressional maps to counterbalance Texas’ new maps, if passed. 

Prop 50 is California’s direct response to Trump’s power grab. It ensures that next year’s congressional midterm elections remain on a level playing field, without an unfair advantage to Republicans.

Trump’s actions in Texas are not new additions to his playbook — the president has tried to skew the democratic process in the past. Trump’s phone call to Abbott was eerily similar to previous attempts to stay in power, like his plea to Georgia’s secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes” and overturn the 2020 presidential election. 

Over the past nine months, California has had a front-row seat to Trump’s antics. As the fourth-largest economy in the world and a democratic stronghold that has produced the likes of former Vice President Kamala Harris and countless other oppositional forces, Trump has had his sights set on using California as a testing ground for his authoritarian agenda. The president has violated law after law to cut over $324 million in research funding to the University of California, sent masked agents in unmarked vans to kidnap civilians, and deployed the National Guard into our cities to quell free speech. 

Californians cannot be complacent as Trump’s authoritarian assault threatens California’s progress and values. With our UC system leading the charge on scientific innovation to our immigrant neighbors breathing life into every corner of our state, California has the moral obligation to resist Trump’s efforts. Time and time again, California has led the charge on innovation, science, and justice, and the rest of the nation has followed. The opportunity to lead the nation in protecting our democratic values will come to your ballots in the form of Prop 50 on Nov. 4. 

Unlike Texas, Prop 50 requires the approval of California voters, reaffirming California’s independent redistricting commission and calling for similar systems nationwide. Prop 50 creates new maps to antidote federal authoritarianism and, unlike Texas, guarantees a return to an independent redistricting process in 2030. California didn’t start this fight, but we can’t afford to stand around while Trump continues his assault on California’s students, families, and cities. 

If Trump gets his way and Prop 50 doesn’t pass, he’ll use this victory as a blueprint to continue undermining democracy. Let’s finish this fight and show the nation how to resist Trump’s authoritarian attacks on our country by passing Prop 50. 

California’s special election is tomorrow. Prop 50 is California’s opportunity to stand up to Trump and stop the Republican Party’s attempts to cut research funding, Medicare, and other vital resources. Vote YES on Prop 50 and show Donald Trump that democracy still has defenders.