I received a lot of questions yesterday and after the board meeting on Tuesday, why I pulled my resolution. The simple reason is to protect the process of having free and non-manipulated or influenced fair elections.
It is illegal to campaign, politic, have campaign materials, campaign, signs, or even campaign buttons, within 100 feet of a polling station. Whereas I don’t believe the actual boardroom is within the hundred foot bubble of the polling station located two floors below, we do broadcast the meeting throughout the building, and thus the broadcast could be considered potentially trying to interfere with fair election.
Here is the verbiage to my resolution:
WHEREAS, Proposition 50, appearing on the November 2025 California ballot, and proposes to amend the California Constitution to alter the process for drawing congressional districts; and
WHEREAS, the current process, established by the voters in 2008 and amended in 2010 to adding congressional redistricting to the commission’s duties, assigns the responsibility for drawing congressional districts to the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission, designed to operate in a non-partisan manner; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 50 would transfer the authority to draw congressional districts from the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission to the State Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission was created to ensure fair and impartial district boundaries, including safeguards to keep cities, counties and local communities together; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 50 would remove existing safeguards intended to maintain the integrity of local communities in the redistricting process, potentially dividing communities and cities; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 50 proposes driving communities, forcing some cities and counties to be split among multiple congressional districts under the measure’s new maps and diminishing their voice in Congress; and
WHEREAS, counties and the State have made significant budget cuts this fiscal year end this election is projected to cost over $200 million. The cost of Proposition 50 has a direct and negative impact on essential services on both the local and the State level; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Tuolumne County believes that Proposition 50 undermines the voter-approved framework for fair redistricting in California.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Tuolumne County hereby adopts an official position of No on Proposition 50 on the November 2025 ballot.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for a Board of Supervisors to take an official position on a subject that might be affecting the County. For example, the Counties of Yuba and Fresno approved a No on Prop 50 resolution. All Supervisors, regardless of which County they represent, represent all the people within their districts. Our form of Government, a Representative Democracy, requires leaders to listen to their constituents and to provide them with information so that they can make informed decisions that will directly affect them. I’m not telling people how to vote, I’m providing information that I think is important for the voters to make the best choice for them.
My personal, and professional opinion is this: Prop 50 is a clear overreach of governmental power by the leadership in Sacramento to manipulate the Congressional Districts for political gain and it does not reflect what the majority of Californian’s wanted in 2008 and 2010. I encourage the other Tuolumne County Supervisors, my colleagues, to take the same public position.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and contact me.
Steve Griefer
District Four Tuolumne County Supervisor
