The Black Vote, Polling and Redistricting

September 10, 2025

California is entering a redistricting battle over control of the U.S. House of Representatives with Proposition 50, which would place redistricting on the November ballot. While opponents immediately launched direct mail campaigns and Democratic supporters began investing in media ads and polling, the African American community has been notably excluded from early campaign efforts on both sides. The article questions whether campaigns assume Black voters either won't participate or will automatically vote Democratic without targeted outreach.

Who is affected

African American community and Black voters
Black Press/Black newspapers
California voters overall
U.S. House of Representatives (regarding district control)
Democratic and Republican parties
Readers of Black media outlets

What action is being taken

Opponents of Proposition 50 are conducting direct mail campaigns
Democratic supporters are spending money on radio and television ads
Democratic supporters are polling California residents to identify potential support
The Black Press continues serving as a "Trusted Messenger" to African American communities

Why it matters

Redistricting directly impacts political representation and voting power across communities
The Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. Sims (1964) requires states to use total population in drawing congressional districts to ensure equal vote weight
Campaign spending patterns suggest unequal valuation of different voting blocs
The exclusion of Black media from campaign advertising undermines the constitutional requirement for inclusive political processes
Black Press has been serving communities for 198 years and remains vital to political communication

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint