Greater than three dozen county sheriffs — together with those from Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties — have signed onto a letter opposing Proposition 50, the mid-decade congressional redistricting poll measure that Californians might be voting on as a part of a particular election known as by state Democratic leaders.
Within the open letter, 37 county sheriffs mentioned a mid-cycle redistricting effort, wherein the proposed congressional maps had been redrawn behind closed doorways as a part of a partisan effort to benefit California Democrats within the 2026 congressional elections, not solely would undermine the desire of voters, but in addition would erode public belief in authorities. They mentioned the trouble “disenfranchises” voters.
“As elected county sheriffs, we all know that our system of presidency relies upon upon public belief. That belief is constructed by means of transparency, equity, and adherence to the rule of regulation,” the letter mentioned. “Conversely, belief is undermined when public officers take actions designed to boost their very own energy on the expense of the folks’s will.”
The letter was signed by Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus.
Prop. 50 is being championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats, each within the state legislature and in Congress.
Proponents of Prop. 50 say their mid-decade redistricting effort is just in response to related gerrymandering efforts by Republicans in Texas, Missouri and different purple states that, prompted by President Donald Trump, are trying to stack subsequent yr’s midterm elections in order that Republicans can proceed to regulate the Home.
However those that oppose Prop. 50 say two wrongs don’t make a proper.
The letter signed by the sheriffs famous that Californians voted for an unbiased fee to find out the boundaries for political districts twice: in 2008 for state legislative districts, and once more in 2010 for congressional districts.
As well as, the sheriffs raised considerations concerning the estimated price of the statewide particular election at a time when California faces a $10 billion to $20 billion annual deficit. There are reviews that the particular election is projected to price over $282 million, together with a $251.3 million request from the state finance director that will go to county election workplaces.
The group additional famous that the state hasn’t totally funded Proposition 36, the measure that voters authorised final yr that elevated penalties for sure theft and drug crimes whereas funding substance abuse therapy for people.
“These lots of of tens of millions now being spent on a particular election may as an alternative be used to construct statewide therapy infrastructure — honoring each the letter and spirit of Prop. 36. That is one other instance of Sacramento politicians disregarding the desire of the voters,” the letter mentioned.
The group of sheriffs criticized Prop. 50 as “the newest in a sequence of actions from Sacramento which have compromised longstanding election practices for political good points.”
For instance, the letter mentioned, when Meeting Invoice 759 was signed into regulation in 2022, it modified the phrases of county sheriffs and district attorneys, and lots of counties needed to shift these elections from the gubernatorial to the presidential cycle. That transfer, the sheriffs alleged, was taken with a purpose to “skew” the outcomes of future elections.
Monday’s letter from the sheriffs was launched per week out from when registered voters are anticipated to start out receiving their vote-by-mail ballots. Voting will finish on Nov. 4.
