As educators and classified professionals, we teach our students about fairness and justice. These very principles are at stake in the upcoming November special election, where Proposition 50 gives us a chance to defend democracy and protect fair representation in Congress.

What does Prop. 50, The Election Rigging Response Act, do?

  • It Levels the Playing Field: Ensures the 2026 mid-term elections are conducted on a level playing field without an unfair advantage for Republicans.
  • It Commits to Fair Redistricting: Reaffirms California’s commitment to independent redistricting and calls on all states to commit to fair and impartial maps.
  • It Gives Voters the Power: Puts the power in the hands of the people of California to approve emergency congressional district maps
  • It Is Fair and Proportional: California is taking action in response to Donald Trump and Texas Republicans power grab.
  • It Is Temporary: It affirms California’s commitment to national redistricting reform – retaining California’s Commission for the 2030 census and declaring it state policy to support the use of fair, nonpartisan redistricting commissions nationwide.

California is fighting fire with fire. Across the country, MAGA republicans are redrawing district lines to snatch up congressional seats. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott recently pushed through maps that carve up communities and silence the voices of working people. These maps don’t just affect Texas. They shape the balance of power across the country, and by extension, the future of funding for our classrooms and academic freedom.

Prop 50 is a temporary, targeted measure that allows our state to redraw congressional maps through the Legislature for the next three election cycles. The goal is simple: to counterbalance gerrymandering elsewhere and ensure that California’s representation in Congress reflects the will of its people. After 2030, the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission resumes its work. 

CFT is all in for Proposition 50 because:

  • A National Stand for Democracy: California can lead the way by showing that we will not stand by while others rig the system.
  • Fair Representation: Every student, parent, and educator deserves a government that reflects their community, not one distorted by partisan map-drawing.
  • Justice for Working Families: Gerrymandered maps weaken the power of working people. Prop 50 helps protect union members’ voices in the decisions that shape our classrooms and communities.

CFT members are hitting the phones and talking to their neighbors

On September 6, educators and retirees gathered in Berkeley for a Prop 50 kickoff and canvas organized by the Berkeley Federation of Teachers.

CFT retiree and former BFT President, Cathy Campbell said, “I attended the Prop. 50 kickoff event because I believe we are in an age of rising authoritarianism and we need to support this effort to preserve our democracy and to preserve the checks and balances in our Constitution.  It was fabulous to be shoulder to shoulder with so many unions in one place saying that we are ready to fight fire with fire and preserve the basic fairness of our system.”

BFT Vice President CFT ECK/TK-12 Division Council Vice President, Regina Chagolla, shared a similar sentiment, stating, “I signed up and showed to our YES On Prop 50 Kickoff because such actions help remind voters that this is an emergency for our democracy and California must act. I am ready to continue to hit the doors, because the time is now to put a check on Trump.”

In addition to the door knocking, members have been busy hitting the phones.

On September 29, CFT in collaboration with the California Labor Fed made over 10,000 calls in just over two hours. Members from across the state showed up ready to get to work. And we were lucky to have AFT President Randi Weingarten join the zoom call where she thanked CFT for their efforts in mobilizing for Prop 50.

“I am so proud of CFT for leading in this fight! Thank god for California. You have the ability to fight in a way most of us can’t. You are trying to create fairness. They changed the rules in the middle of the game. The rest of us are relying on all of you.”

Jim Miller, Vice President of Political Action for AFT Guild Local 1931, directs their internship program which is a mixture of union, community, and other social justice work where the interns take a labor studies class and do four hours a week of real life activism.

“Getting to do campaign work is a great way for young people to learn how social, political, and economic change only comes through organizing, hard work, and diligence driven by idealism.” 

As Kelly Mayhew (also a Vice President with Local 1931 who coordinates the City College Labor Studies Program and helps out with the internship) notes, “the CFT phone bank for Proposition 50 gave us an opportunity to bring the interns into the work of campaigning as well as into the larger labor family since they were calling our CFT members across the state.”

Key phonebank events are coming up! RSVP now:

October 15   4:00-6:30PM
California Labor Federation Prop 50 Phonebank on Zoom

For other phonebanks and events head here.

Take Action with CFT

Winning this fight will take all of us. The other side is well-funded and determined to protect an unfair system, but we have the power of labor behind us. We need CFT members to:

  • Volunteer for phonebanks to educate Californians about Prop 50. Head to our website and your local labor federation for more information.
  • Post on social media using this social media toolkit.
  • Talk to your colleagues, friends, and families about why Prop 50 is essential to holding the Trump administration responsible. Remind folks that California is only doing this because Trump and Texas moved first, the redistricting is temporary, and we must protect our democracy at all costs.

As educators and classified professionals, we know that silence in the face of injustice is not an option. Prop. 50 is our chance to stand up for democracy and the future of public education.

Together, we can ensure that every voice is heard and that every vote counts.

Let’s do what we do best: educate, organize, and lead. For our students. For our schools. For democracy. Vote YES on Proposition 50.

For more information on the campaign, check out the Yes on 50 campaign website stopelectionrigging.com