LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied an emergency petition seeking to block Proposition 50, which calls for a special election in November to redraw the state's congressional districts.
Proposition 50 was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Aug. 21 following approval of related bills by the Democrat-controlled State Assembly and Senate. The measure asks voters to approve new congressional maps for the next three elections -- maps that analysts say could make several Republican-held districts more favorable to Democrats.
The petition, filed on Monday by Republican lawmakers and the Dhillon Law Group, a conservative law firm based in San Francisco, argued that California's Democratic-controlled Legislature violated the state constitution and redistricting laws by drafting congressional maps it lacked the authority to draw.
Newsom hailed the court's latest order immediately. "48 hours later, this case has already been rejected," he said on the social platform X. "We'll keep winning."
Republican plaintiffs criticized the ruling, stating, "We are watching in real time the destruction of law-and-order, and of our republic at the hands of a Democratic governor, Democratic supermajority Legislature and Supreme Court."
The California Supreme Court had earlier rejected a similar request from Republicans on Aug. 20 to freeze the state's redistricting efforts before legislative approval.
Redistricting means redrawing electoral district boundaries that impact elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. Newsom repeatedly noted that this move aimed to counter the Republican-led redistricting in Texas, which could shape the control of the U.S. Congress in the 2026 elections. ■
