California has new congressional maps coming. Here’s how they become law

Aug. 14, 2025 4:08 PM PT

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Gov. Gavin Newsom said California voters will be asked in a Nov. 4 special election to temporarily suspend the congressional maps drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission.

If the effort by Democrats is successful, it could blunt changes in GOP states to boost the number of Republicans in Congress.

Politics

Laura J. Nelson

Laura J. Nelson is a former staff writer at the Los Angeles Times who covered California politics, including the 2026 governor’s race and the midterm elections in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mark E. Potts

Mark E. Potts is the senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times. A native of Enid, Okla., Potts graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He has created and edited video for DreamWorks, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony and BET.