Valley political groups urge voters to cast their ballots a week ahead of Election Day
Gavin Nguyen
THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the days count down to next Tuesday’s special election, political groups in the Coachella Valley are urging voters to cast their ballots on Proposition 50.
Prop 50 is the only item on next week’s ballot. The measure, introduced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would temporarily redraw California’s congressional districts starting in 2026 to favor Democrats.
More information about the proposition from California’s Official Voter Information Guide can be found here.
Also known as the ‘Election Rigging Response Act,’ the ballot measure was introduced in response to a similar effort in Texas, which could add up to five Republican seats to the House of Representatives. California’s redistricting effort, meanwhile, also aims to net five additional seats for Democrats in the House.
As of October 27, 2025, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office said 270,781 ballots have been counted so far. The most recent statewide special election happened in 2009, and in Riverside County, only 227,443 votes were counted. The county has grown significantly since then, but mail-in ballots alone this year have outpaced 2009’s election.
Ballot drop-off locations across Riverside County can be found at this link.