Richmonders go door-knocking to get out the ‘Yes’ vote on Prop 50

Richmond City Councilmember Doria Robinson pulled up to Hilltop Park on a recent Sunday with a trunk full of lawn signs, tote bags and colorful voter handouts emblazoned with “VOTE YES ON 50.” Robinson showed up at the park to thank canvassers who had volunteered to knock on doors and to convince people to vote in the special election, which is on Tuesday.

“People can finally stop talking about how upset they are,” Robinson said, referring to so many Democrats’ feelings about President Donald Trump. 

“This is the most effective thing Democrats have done recently. We need a forward vision,” she said.

Proposition 50 asks California voters to authorize changes to Congressional district maps “in response to Texas’ partisan redistricting.” It would temporarily redraw California districts to net five Democratic House seats in the 2026 midterm election, a result that would flip Republican-leaning districts from north to south. 

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Locally, the proposition’s passage would move most of Modoc County into the same district as liberal Marin County, and move the Contra Costa County cities of Antioch and Pittsburgh into a Central Valley district, diluting the power of the two more conservative districts. The map would be reconsidered after the 2030 census.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is spearheading Prop 50, framing it as a fight against “red states and Trump changing the rules,” and saying in social media posts that the proposition would “give people the power to stand up” to the president.

Prop 50 supporter Janet Kraus, of Albany, volunteered to canvas in Richmond after door knocking in other East Bay cities. It had already been a busy weekend: Kraus had attended two “No Kings” protests and was ready to spend another day advocating for a cause she believes is important.

“Most people are an immediate ‘yes,’” Kraus said. “But I had one guy last week who said, ‘I don’t agree with anything California does.’”

A retired middle school English teacher, Kraus laughed and wondered aloud why he was still living in the Bay Area, then took her materials and set off to knock on more doors.

Jamin Pursell is secretary of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party and is helping to coordinate the Prop 50 effort. He has heard from canvassers and phone bankers that many voters are enthusiastic about taking on Trump. 

“Richmonders are expressing a lot of concern about protecting democracy,” Pursell said. “People are frustrated with gerrymandering. They’re furious at ICE. They’re scared about increases to their health insurance and cuts to Medicaid,” he said.

The ‘No’ vote

There is another side to the Prop 50 fight.

One “No on 50” argument is that the special election is too expensive while the state is facing a $20 billion deficit, and that any money spent should go to “priorities like public safety and emergency response,” according to votenoprop50.org. The site, which has coalition members including former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, calls California’s current system the “gold standard for fair redistricting.”

The opposition also argues that passage would “dilute community representation and silence voters.” The California Republican Party has run ads saying the reason for Prop 50 is so that Democrats “can impeach President Trump.”

In a letter published on the Contra Costa Republican Party website, Chairman Jeff Burns wrote, “This measure risks undermining the nonpartisan safeguards that Californians have championed for over a decade.” 

Neither the Contra Costa Republicans, Vote No on 50, nor Burns returned requests for comment.

The state has earmarked $282.6 million for the special election, and independent fundraising has made this effort one of the state’s most expensive. According to CalMatters, the “Yes” side has so far raised nearly $97 million, more than double the “No” side’s $42 million. 

The Contra Costa County Democratic Party and the West County Democrats are only responsible for the cost of lawn signs, door hangers and other campaign materials that are being distributed locally. Pursell said the organizations evenly split the $2,000 spent on those items.

Pursell noted that there has been an uptick in voter registration, though was careful to say that there is no way to know if it is due to the special election. Since November, more than 2,500 people with no previous voting history have registered to vote to vote in Richmond, and over 1,500 of those registered within the last six months, Pursell said.  

“For the most part, people understand Prop 50,” Pursell said. “They just don’t know if it will be enough.”

Both sides on the Prop 50 debate are asking voters to mail in ballots without delay. The deadline for registering for a mail ballot has already passed, but people can register to vote in person up to and on Election Day.

All eyes on California

Back in Richmond, City Councilmember Robinson decided that she, too, would do some “Yes on 50” canvassing after meeting with volunteers at the park. 

She knocked on the door of Dietra Scott, who told Robinson that she and her sorority sisters had just returned from a retreat and had their ballots ready to go. Scott also planned to volunteer for a phone bank.

Robinson thanked Scott and said, “Usually California doesn’t matter. We vote too late.”

“This time, the whole country is watching us.” 

(Top photo: City Councilmember Doria Robinson (left) and Janet Kraus get out the “Yes” vote on Proposition 50, by Joni Binder)

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