In the high-profile conflict over the proposed redrawing of California’s congressional districts, California voters are being asked to approve or disapprove a constitutional amendment that would change the shape of congressional districts until 2030. As a special Election Day approaches, here’s a look at the numbers that define California voters along with a glimpse of their views on government.

1. Voter registration is very high. In 2025, more than eight in ten eligible Californians were registered to vote—or over 23 million of California’s 27 million eligible adults as of September. Adults age 66+ make up the largest share of registered voters (23%) followed by adults 26–35 (18%) and 35–45 (17%); younger adults are the smallest registered share (12%).
2. Close to a third of registered voters are neither blue nor red. Forty-five percent of eligible Californians have registered as Democrats, 25% as Republicans, and 23% as independents. The registered share who now align with a minor political party has ticked up from 6% in 2021 to 7% today.
3. Many likely voters are displeased with the major political parties. Of the registered voters who vote regularly and engage with politics, also known as likely voters, about six in ten hold unfavorable views of the Democratic Party while seven in ten hold unfavorable views of the Republican Party.
4. Few Californians trust the state and federal government. Although Californians profess more trust in their state government than in the federal government, the numbers still reflect a dim view of both: 44% of likely voters say they trust the state government in Sacramento to do what is right, while 29% say the same of the federal government in Washington. Likely voters are also dissatisfied with the California Legislature (53% disapproval).
5. Likely voters represent a small slice of the population. Californians who are most likely to vote also tend to be white, affluent, college educated, and homeowners. Today, white adults make up 50% of likely voters but 36% of the California population. In contrast, Latino adults are 29% of likely voters and 38% of the population, Asian-American residents are 12% of likely voters and 16% of the population, and Black residents are 4% of likely voters and 5% of the population. PPIC’s population sample includes naturalized immigrants.

The proposition on the table for November has voters deciding whether to approve new congressional maps drawn by the California Legislature rather than the state’s independent Citizen’s Redistricting Commission. These new maps would be in place for the next five years, under the jurisdiction of the state legislature. This change means that, ultimately, those who show up to vote may help determine who represents Californians in the US Congress for the rest of this decade.

An earlier version of this post was published on November 5, 2024.