Does Prop 50 divide California communities? Depends how you measure it

There’s no question that the proponents of Proposition 50 have a partisan goal.

By seeking to adopt a map to put more Democrats in power in areas currently represented by Republicans, they are asking voters to temporarily bypass the state’s independent, nonpartisan redistricting commission, which for the past two decades has prioritized maps that keep similar communities together and provide more electoral opportunities for communities of color.

Does that mean that the proposed new congressional districts would be less representative of voters, beyond party preferences? We looked into some common questions.

Who drew the Prop. 50 map?

Paul Mitchell, a veteran Democratic redistricting expert in Sacramento, and a group of similar consultants drew the map. Mitchell explained in an intervie