The Old Way: Power of the Veto Pen
In many U.S. states, redistricting is a bare-knuckle political process. The state legislature draws the maps for congressional and state legislative districts, and those maps are sent to the governor as a standard piece of legislation. This gives the governor immense power. A governor can veto a map they believe is unfairly drawn or, more often, one that disadvantages their own political party. This veto power serves as a crucial check on the legislature but also makes the governor a central player in what can be a highly partisan exercise known as gerrymandering. For decades, this was the volatile reality in California, with both Democrats and Republicans using their turn in power to draw maps that favored their party, a practice that led to bitter,
protracted political battles.
Why California Broke the Mold
Frustration with a system where politicians effectively chose their voters, rather than the other way around, boiled over in California. Decades of gerrymandering led to safe seats for incumbents, reduced political competition, and maps that were drawn in backrooms to protect the powerful. This frustration culminated in a powerful voter-led reform movement. In 2008, voters passed Proposition 11, a landmark initiative that stripped the legislature of its power to draw state legislative districts and handed it to a newly created citizens' commission. Two years later, Proposition 20 extended the commission's authority to include the even more consequential U.S. congressional districts. The goal was to take the politicians—including the governor—out of the map-drawing business entirely.
Meet the Real Map-Makers
Today, California's maps are drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. This 14-member body is designed to be independent of political influence. It consists of five Democrats, five Republicans, and four members who are not affiliated with either major party. The selection process itself is complex, involving applications from the public, a review by state auditors, and a final selection process that gives legislative leaders limited power to remove candidates before a random draw. The commission must follow a strict set of criteria, prioritizing things like equal population, compliance with the Voting Rights Act, and keeping communities together, while explicitly being forbidden from considering incumbency or partisan advantage. Crucially, once the commission votes on and finalizes the maps, they become law. There is no role for the legislature to approve them or for the governor to sign or veto them.
So, What Is Left for the Governor?
Given this ironclad independent process, the governor of California has zero formal power over the decennial redistricting process. They cannot draw maps, approve them, or veto them. However, that doesn't mean they have no influence. A governor can use their "bully pulpit"—their powerful public platform—to praise or criticize the commission's work, potentially shaping public opinion. They remain the leader of their state political party, which has a vested interest in the outcomes. An extraordinary situation in 2025 demonstrated this. In response to a mid-decade redistricting effort in Texas, Governor Gavin Newsom led a successful campaign for Proposition 50, a ballot measure that temporarily suspended the commission's map and implemented a legislature-drawn map to counteract the Texas changes. This rare move required a special election and a vote of the people to amend the state constitution, proving that while a governor's direct power is gone, their ability to lead a political charge to circumvent the process, however temporarily, still exists.
