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California Proposition 50 special election: When do polls close and results start coming in?
California polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.; voters in line by then can still vote. Results on Proposition 50 are expected within hours after closing.
Along with several other states in the US, California is also voting Tuesday in a special election on Proposition 50- a Congressional redistricting plan approved by Governor Gavin Newsom ahead of the mid-term elections in 2026.
Voters have flocked to polling booths throughout the day on Tuesday. With the last few hours of voting still to come, those yet to vote can cast their ballots at a nearby polling booth by 8 p.m. local time.
When Do Polls Close In California?
Polls opened in California at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and will close at 8 p.m. local time. However, those who join the voting line by 8 p.m. can cast their vote afterwards. Ballots have to be dropped at the polling place, the county election office or at a local ballot drop box.
Can You Still Vote By Mail Ballot?
Voting by mail ballots in the final hours could be risky due to recent changes made by the United States Postal Service. According to the election rules, voting by mail ballot will be accepted as long as it is postmarked on or before November 4. The safest way to ensure that is ballot is cast is to visit a polling booth and cast your vote in person.
When Will California Special Election Results Come?
The results of the California special election on Proposition 50, the 'Election Rigging Response Act', will come within hours of the polls closing at 8 p.m. The early trends will start coming in within an hour of the polls closing, at around 9 p.m. local time.
What To Know About Proposition 50
California, a Democrat-ruled state, is bringing in a new Congressional redistricting plan to offset the redistricting efforts in four Republican-ruled states: Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri. As of now, these four Republican states have been able to add nine new districts.
On the other hand, the Democrats have added one district in Utah, and if Proposition 50 is approved, five more districts will be added in California.
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Why Proposition 50 Matters
Proposition 50 could be significant not only for California but also in the larger political context of the United States. The number of districts equals the number of US House Representatives sent from a state. With districts increasing in Republican states, the number of GOP House Reps will likely also increase in favour of GOP. Notably, the GOP's effort to redraw district maps has led to accusations of gerrymandering.
After Utah, the Democrats have taken up the case in their stronghold, California. But even if Proposition 50 is passed, the Democrats will still be three short, with six new districts against GOP's nine. They will be short of offsetting the GOP redistricting, ahead of the 2026 midterms.
