California lawmakers passed a legislative package Thursday advancing a partisan redistricting plan aimed at winning Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 elections.

California lawmakers voted mostly along party lines Thursday to approve legislation calling for the special election. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has led the campaign in favor of the map, then quickly signed it — the latest step in a tit-for-tat gerrymandering battle.

LOS ANGELES - A national political battle over redistricting is escalating as California lawmakers approved a special election that will be held Nov. 4 for voters to decide on the newly proposed congressional maps. Lawmakers voted mostly along party lines after hours of debate. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the legislation Thursday evening.

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.

Trump administration live updates and latest news as Zelenskyy seeks security guarantees and California plans to vote on a new congressional redistricting plan.

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.