Trump, contradicting the California Republican Party, opposes early voting on Proposition 50
President Trump on Sunday urged California voters not to vote by mail or vote early in California’s redistricting election — in direct opposition to the message from the state’s GOP leaders.
Repeating his false claim that former President Biden beat him in 2020 because the election was rigged, Trump argued that the November special election over redistricting in California would be rigged, as would the 2026 midterm elections to determine control of Congress.
“No mail-in voting or ‘early’ voting, yes to voter ID! Look how completely dishonest California Prop Vote is! Millions of ballots are being ‘shipped,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “GET SMART REPUBLICANS, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!! »
Proposition 50, a ballot measure proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional districts to bolster their party’s ranks in the U.S. House of Representatives, is up for a Nov. 4 ballot.
This rare mid-decade redistricting effort was in response to Trump urging Republican-led states, initially Texas, to increase the number of Republicans in the House in the 2026 midterm elections to allow him to continue implementing his agenda during his final two years in the White House.
Newsom responded to Trump on X: “The ramblings of an old man who knows he’s going to LOSE. »
Trump has not weighed the merits of Proposition 50, unlike prominent Democrats who support it, including former President Obama.
More than 4 million mail-in ballots — 18% of the ballots sent to California’s 23 million voters — had been returned as of Friday, according to a vote tracking system run by Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell, who drew the proposed maps on the ballot. Democrats continue to lead Republicans in returning ballots, 51% to 28%. Voters registered without party preference or with other political parties returned 21% of ballots.
Early voting centers also opened Saturday in 29 counties.
The turnout figures alarmed Republican leaders before Trump’s message.
“It’s simple. Republicans need to stop complaining and vote. We ask and ask and ask and yet turnout lags,” the San Diego GOP posted on
Historically, Republicans have voted early, while Democrats have been more likely to vote on Election Day. Trump upended that dynamic, creating dissonance with Republican leaders across the country, who recognized the value of early voting. And this completely contradicts the message of the opponents of Proposition 50.
Jessica Millan Patterson, former state GOP chairwoman and leader of the “No to Proposition 50 – Stopping Sacramento Power Takeover” committee, is a longtime proponent of urging Republican voters to cast their ballots as early and as easily as possible.
“Sacramento politicians rushed this costly election for partisan purposes, and mistakes were made,” she said Sunday evening. “If Californians want change from the failure of one-party rule in our state, they start by voting no on Proposition 50.”
