Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 12 to be counted. Designed by Freepik, www.freepik.com

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) - Vote-by-mail ballots will begin arriving in Butte County mailboxes on Monday, Oct. 7, launching California’s most costly and politically charged statewide special election. 

If approved by voters, Proposition 50, the only measure on California’s Nov. 5 ballot, would temporarily suspend the state’s independent redistricting commission and authorize the California Legislature to draw new congressional district boundaries for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. 

The election is expected to cost $282 million statewide, the most expensive special election in California history, according to estimates of the California Secretary of State. 

Butte County Clerk-Recorder Keaton Denlay said the local general fund cost for this single-issue election is estimated to be around $900,000, with the state agreeing to reimburse Butte County $800,000.

“That’s really good news for us,” Denlay reported to the Board of Supervisors.  

Eligible voters who are not yet registered have until Oct. 21 to do so. After that date, voters can register and cast a provisional ballot on Election Day at polling sites or the elections office.  

Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 12 to be counted. The final deadline for counties to certify election results is Dec. 5.

Proposition 50 was placed on the ballot by the California Legislature in response to redistricting actions taken in Texas. In 2021, Texas redrew its congressional maps following the 2020 U.S. Census, reflecting population growth among Latino and black communities. 

Civil rights organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, filed lawsuits challenging the maps, alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause. They argued the maps diluted minority voting strength by splitting or consolidating communities of color.

In 2025, Texas conducted an atypical second round of redistricting using the same 2020 census data.

With the Texas redistricting efforts winding through the courts, Governor Gavin Newsom urged the Democratic legislature to design new maps as a strategic countermeasure by approving Assembly Bill 604. Critics, including former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, warn the move undermines California’s commitment to nonpartisan redistricting.

In Northern California, the 1st Congressional District, which includes Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and other rural counties, will be among those most impacted by the proposed changes. Under the new map outlined in AB 604, the district would be dramatically reshaped, combining conservative rural areas with liberal coastal regions such as Marin County. The shift could alter the district’s political makeup and representation in Congress.

Despite the potential statewide impact, Butte County’s district boundaries are expected to remain largely intact.