How did Merced County vote on Prop. 50, California’s redistricting plan?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Prop 50 passed statewide by over two million votes; Merced approved narrowly.
- Merced registrar reports ~40,000 ballots; county to finish counts by Nov. 12.
- County will continue counting mail ballots through Nov. 12; results certified Dec. 4.
Democrats scored a win last night as Prop 50, the California redistricting plan, passed by a margin of more than two million votes. The vote was called at 8 p.m. and moments later Merced County posted its own results: Merced voters passed Prop 50, but the margin was much closer.
The latest vote count, updated at 11:40 p.m. on Nov. 4, showed the measure leading with 18,731 votes in favor and 17,138 votes against. Of the nearly 36,000 ballots counted so far, the majority was cast before Election Day, according to the registrar of voters.
Merced residents cast about 3,500 votes in-person. The voting site at Merced College had a line of about thirty people when the polls closed at 8 p.m. and per California law the polling site stayed open until everyone in line had voted.
For months, California voters have received calls, texts, and mailers urging them to vote in the special election to decide whether the state will redraw congressional maps until 2030. In Merced, “No on Prop 50” signs lined driveways along Bear Creek and other neighborhoods. Facebook users urged their fellow Mercedians to vote in support of Prop 50.
Gov Gavin Newsom, who proposed the measure, and California lawmakers celebrated what they considered a strike back at the Trump administration and partisan redistricting in Texas.
“It’s a victory for the people of the state of California and the United States of America,” Newsom said to reporters.
In Merced County, no district lines will be redrawn, but there will be changes to nearby Madera and Fresno counties. Statewide, the redistricting effort is expected to result in five GOP congressmembers facing potential defeat in next year’s midterm election.
According to Melvin Levey, the Merced County registrar of voters, the nearly 40,000 votes cast is a good turnout and voting went smoothly at the polling sites. The county office will continue to count votes cast in-person as well as mail-in ballots received by Nov. 12 and postmarked Nov. 4 or prior.
An updated count from the county is scheduled for no later than 5 p.m. on Nov. 7 and final election results will be certified by Dec. 4.
This story was originally published November 5, 2025 at 3:02 PM.
