Dan Dow is among 30 California district attorneys opposed to Prop 50. Here’s why | Opinion

As elected district attorneys, we are committed to upholding public trust through transparency, fairness and the rule of law. We strongly oppose Proposition 50, which seeks to dismantle the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission and reinstate partisan gerrymandering — a flawed process rejected by Californians through Proposition 11 (2008) and Proposition 20 (2010).

Proposition 50 undermines democracy by prioritizing politicians’ power instead of preserving voter-approved reforms that improve community representation. The independent commission has fairly redrawn electoral districts after the last two censuses. However, Proposition 50 would allow the state Legislature to secretly craft new congressional maps before the next census — dividing communities and silencing voters. This erodes trust in government and ignores the clear mandate for independent redistricting.

Moreover, Proposition 50’s special election carries a staggering $300 million price tag — funds that could support voter-approved Proposition 36’s drug treatment programs, which received nearly 70% support from Californians to address crime and addiction. While the Legislature claimed insufficient funds for these critical programs, it readily allocated millions for this unnecessary election, highlighting misplaced priorities.

Partisan gerrymandering is fundamentally wrong, regardless of who perpetrates it or where it occurs. Two wrongs do not make a right. In Proposition 50, the governor of California has proposed a “fight fire with fire” approach, dismantling a twice voter-approved bipartisan redistricting commission. In an era marked by eroding ethics and integrity — where political assassination is excused and violent rhetori against opponents and their families is dismissed as a mere “mistake” — we must firmly say no. Such actions undermine democracy and fairness, and we must uphold principled redistricting processes that prioritize the will of the people over partisan gain.

Proposition 50 threatens fair representation and wastes resources on an effort to undo voter-approved reforms and change California’s congressional delegation solely to benefit one political party rather than uphold the will of the people. As district attorneys dedicated to institutional integrity, we urge Californians to reject Proposition 50 and protect our democratic process.

This op-ed was signed by 30 California district attorneys, including Dan Dow, San Luis Obispo County; Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County; Summer Stephan, San Diego County; and Michael A. Hestrin, Riverside County.