SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Thursday afternoon that will move forward a partisan redistricting plan aimed at winning Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 election. Newsom's approval will allow for a special election, leaving redistricting up to California voters.

Right now, one county in California –– Sacramento County — is known to livestream its elections. The footage shows staff conducting ballot tabulations, which entails placing ballots through scanners.

Many Californians would have new representatives in Congress if voters approve a special measure backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to temporarily redraw election boundaries with maps drawn by Democrats.

The election will determine whether the state will adopt new Democrat-leaning congressional districts in response to Texas’ Republican-favored redistricting.

The Legislature passed the bills Thursday, beating a Friday deadline officials said was necessary to get it on the November ballot.

SACRAMENTO — Ratcheting up the pressure in the escalating national fight over control of Congress, the California Legislature on Thursday approved a November special election to ask voters to redraw the state’s electoral lines to favor Democrats and thwart President Trump’s far-right policy agenda.

Stanislaus County is among the areas affected by the potential California redistricting – moving places that were "toss-ups" in the last election into solidly blue territory. Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for a special election to authorize mid-decade congressional redistricting in direct retaliation to Texas doing the same.

Former President Barack Obama is in favor of California’s redistricting plan. The former president threw his support behind the effort while the state legislature continues to advance bills to convene a special election in November, when voters would decide whether to implement congressional maps for the next three elections.