For years, California was held up by reform advocates as a model: the state’s independent redistricting commission was designed to remove legislators from direct control over line drawing, reducing partisan influence and increasing fairness in representation.
Those maps were upheld by a federal appeals court in early 2026 despite legal challenges from Republicans alleging racial discrimination, and now could be used in the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections.
California’s decision reflects a significant shift in political calculations. Some Democratic leaders concluded that strict adherence to non‑partisan reform principles could inadvertently leave their party structurally disadvantaged if Republicans continued to redraw maps in their favor elsewhere.
As a result, a state that once championed independent commissions responded with a strategy that temporarily bypasses that commission to create a counter‑balancing set of district lines. Continue reading…
