Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 23 - Councilmember Requested Item to Prepare a Resolution in Support of California Proposition 50 CITY OF SANTA ANA y ioc Councilmember Requested Item Report DATE October 7, 2025 TOPIC RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT of Proposition 50 — The Election Rigging Response Act COUNCILMEMBER REQUESTED ITEM TITLE Discuss and Consider directing the City Manager to direct city staff to prepare a resolution in SUPPORT of California's Proposition 50, also known as the 'Election Rigging Response Act'. (Submitted by Councilmember David Penaloza) DISCUSSION Proposition 50, known as the Election Rigging Response Act, will appear on the November 4, 2025, special election ballot. This measure is not just another policy question, it is a direct response to the dangerous trend of partisan manipulation of congressional districts, most recently seen in the state of Texas, where maps were redrawn mid-decade to tilt the balance of power. If left unchecked, these practices threaten the very foundation of our democracy and representative government. Proposition 50 ensures that California does not follow that path. It establishes clear and temporary rules that protect our residents by requiring the district maps passed by the Legislature in August 2025 to remain in place through 2030. This provides stability and prevents political gamesmanship in the middle of a decade. After the 2030 census, the state's independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will once again take up its crucial responsibility, drawing district boundaries in a fair, open, and nonpartisan process that prioritizes our state's residents, not politicians. But Proposition 50 is bigger than California alone. By supporting this measure, we send a powerful message to the nation: California will always stand on the side of democracy, transparency, and integrity. We will not allow partisanship to erode trust in elections or to silence communities by rigging the system. This is about protecting the principle that voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. For the City of Santa Ana, endorsing Proposition 50 means standing proudly with our residents in defense of their voice and their vote. It means affirming that our city values honesty and accountability in government. And it means recognizing that if we fail to act, the very fabric of our democracy - fair elections - is at risk. Supporting Proposition 50 is not optional; it is essential. Our democracy is only as strong as our willingness to defend it. By taking this stand, Santa Ana shows not just Orange County, not just California, but the entire country that we will not tolerate election rigging and we will fight for fairness at every level of government. SUBMITTED BY Councilmember David Penaloza EXHIBIT(S) Exhibit 1 — California Proposition 50 Resolution in SUPPORT CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK Sonia R. Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L.Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA-P.O. BOX 1988, M31 -SANTA ANA,CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE(714)647-6900-FAX(714)647-6954-www.santa-ana.org EXHIBIT 1 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 50—THE ELECTION RIGGING RESPONSE ACT WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana is committed to protecting the integrity of elections and ensuring that voters have confidence in a fair and transparent democratic process; and WHEREAS, recent partisan mid-decade redistricting actions in other states, including Texas, have demonstrated the threat of political manipulation of congressional district boundaries outside of the normal decennial census process; and WHEREAS, Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act, will appear on the November 4, 2025, statewide special election ballot, and is designed to safeguard California from similar election-rigging practices; and WHEREAS, Proposition 50 requires that the congressional maps enacted by the Legislature in August 2025 remain in effect through 2030, ensuring stability and preventing partisan tampering until the next census cycle; and WHEREAS, following the 2030 census, California's independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will resume its vital role in drawing congressional districts through an open, nonpartisan, and transparent process; and WHEREAS, the passage of Proposition 50 will send a clear message that California stands firmly against partisan manipulation of district maps and affirms our state's longstanding support for independent redistricting commissions as a national model of fair democracy; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana has a responsibility to defend the principles of representative government and to stand with its residents in ensuring that voters, not politicians, determine the outcomes of elections; NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana as follows: 1. The City Council hereby expresses its strong support for Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act. 2. The City Council urges the voters of Santa Ana, and of California, to support Proposition 50 on November 4, 2025, as a vital measure to protect democracy, transparency, and fairness in elections. 3. The City Council directs the City Clerk to transmit copies of this Resolution to the Governor of California, the President pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Orange County Board of Supervisors and other appropriate officials to affirm Santa Ana's commitment to fair representation. PASSED,APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 21 st day of October, 2025.