Rachel Mealey : California's are currently voting on a proposal to redraw their state's congressional districts to notionally give more of an advantage to Democrats in next year's US midterm elections. It's a tit for tat move proposed by the state's Governor Gavin Newsom. However, experts and onlookers worry about what the entire saga is doing to America's democracy. The ABC's Chief Elections Analyst Casey Briggs has the story.
Casey Briggs : California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking the fight up to Donald Trump.
Gavin Newsom: We're fighting fire with fire, we're not fighting with one hand tied behind our back.
Casey Briggs : He's campaigning for a proposal to suspend the congressional district maps that were drawn by California's independent commission and replace them with manipulated district boundary maps, also known as gerrymandered maps, designed to hand Democrats more seats. Recent polls give the proposition a very good chance of passing. To Australian ears, it sounds ridiculous. A partisan grab for power that wouldn't be allowed here. But this is actually the return shot, aiming to neutralize Republicans who did much the same thing in Texas earlier this year. President Donald Trump made no secret of his motivation, telling CNBC in August that...
Donald Trump: We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor and we have good people in Texas. We are entitled to five more seats.
Casey Briggs : Professor Richard Hasen from the University of California says this tit for tat gerrymandering is being seen as crucial to determining who controls Congress after the midterm elections next year.
Prof. Richard Hasen : This is 100 percent driven by Donald Trump's attempt to try to fight against what many people see as inevitable, which is Republicans losing control of the House of Representatives. And it really is a race to the bottom.
Casey Briggs : And it appears to have escalated into an arms race. The Republican-controlled states of Missouri and North Carolina have changed their districts. Mr Trump is encouraging other states and Democratic governors are considering their options. Gerrymandering to seek partisan advantage isn't popular among voters, but it's perfectly legal. Richard Hasen again.
Prof. Richard Hasen : At the very least, it undermines people's confidence that the rules are fair. Everybody's being accused of rigging the election or cheating them. And the language is very heated.
Casey Briggs : Professor Grant Reeher from Syracuse University agrees.
Prof. Grant Reeher : The big question is, where does it stop? And so if we're going to do it for 2026, are we going to do it again for 2028 and for 2030? If the American way of doing this is a problem, then you're just putting it on steroids by doing it over and over again.
Casey Briggs : It makes political sense for the Democrats, who are confronted with what they see as a real and illegitimate threat, that they'll be shut out of power. But Professor Reeher questions whether it's good for democracy in the long term.
Prof. Grant Reeher : If this is explicitly undemocratic, then is leaning into that somehow OK because the other side is doing it?
Casey Briggs : Voting in California ends on Wednesday, Australian time.
Rachel Mealey : Casey Briggs.