DeMaio files redistricting ‘poison pill’ initiative to ban state legislators who vote to change district maps from seeking office for 10 years

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio today is filing a citizens’ initiative to impose what he openly describes as a “poison pill” ban on any state legislator from seeking any elected office for the next 10 years if they vote this week in favor of nullifying the independent citizens redistricting commission or its existing non-partisan election maps.

“The state constitution already bans Independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commissioners from seeking elected office for 10 years – so if the politicians want to illegally seize back redistricting power from the citizens, it is only fitting that the ban against benefitting personally from those maps be imposed on them,” DeMaio declared.

“By filing this initiative before their vote, I’m putting corrupt Sacramento politicians on clear notice: If you try to undermine fair elections in California by manipulating the lines of districts, you will be banned from seeking office for the next 10 years just the same way redistricting commissioners are,” DeMaio said.

DeMaio is not bluffing with the filing. In fact, DeMaio already has the resources to get the 1 million signatures to qualify the initiative for a November 2026 statewide vote.

That’s because DeMaio’s Reform California movement has already raised the funds and recruited more than 10,000 volunteers statewide to get 1 million signatures on the CA Voter ID Initiative.

“I realized that both the CA Voter ID Initiative and the Penalties for Politicians Who Manipulate Their Own Districts Initiative fit nicely onto one page – and it is economical to get two signatures simultaneously on two initiatives,” DeMaio said.

State politicians should take note of the enforceability of this initiative.

First, DeMaio’s initiative is grounded in existing state constitutional provisions applied to redistricting commissioners.

Second, the penalty in DeMaio’s initiative would be enforced against any state legislator who votes in favor of either changing the citizens’ independent redistricting process or in favor of politician-drawn maps.

“I believe we win the election on Nov. 4 – but the ban on these corrupt politicians will still be enforced because there should be a serious penalty for even trying to undermine the fairness of our elections,” DeMaio said.

“There is no free ride on casting a corrupt vote this week – if a state legislator votes in favor, they better be prepared to get a real job for the next 10 years,” DeMaio said.

Click here to read DeMaio’s filing.

About Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio is a State Assemblymember representing District 75 and is chairman of Reform California – a statewide movement dedicated to holding state and local government accountable by supporting reform-minded ballot measures and candidates to office. DeMaio also hosts a daily podcast covering news and state politics that receives 1-2 million unique views and listens a week. DeMaio’s 75th Assembly District includes the communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Valley Center, Ramona, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Julian, Borrego Springs, Pala, Jamul, Pine Valley, Pauma Valley and Bonita.