North State Voters Brace For Changes With Possible Redistricting On The Horizon

Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, August 27, 2025…

• In rural Northern California, voters represented by Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa are bracing for big changes. A proposed congressional map on the November ballot would shift them into a more Democratic-leaning territory. 
• Some foreign dissidents in California say they need law enforcement help when the governments they fled threaten them on U.S. soil. A bill moving through the state legislature would train police on how to respond.

Northern California Residents Face Uncertain Voting Future

A dramatic plan to reshape California’s congressional districts to favor Democrats will appear before voters this November, after state lawmakers voted last week to place the redistricting proposal on the ballot. The Nov. 4 vote is now set to be the marquee event in a nationwide showdown between Democratic and Republican states over political district lines that could help determine control of Congress in 2026.

In California’s 1st Congressional District, there’s already plenty of uncertainty. It stretches from the flat, fertile Sacramento Valley, up through Mt. Shasta’s treasured lakes and dense forests, and all the way to the Oregon and Nevada borders. It’s long been a Republican stronghold. Voters favored President Trump by 25 points in the last presidential election.

But if the new maps are approved, current Representative Doug LaMalfa will be facing a much tougher re-election challenge. That’s because the new map would move Siskiyou, Shasta and Modoc counties into the 2nd Congressional District, a coastal region running from Crescent City to the Golden Gate Bridge. Donna Bacigalupi is president of the Siskiyou Conservative Republicans. She worries redistricting will drown out rural voices. “We would really hate to lose the only voice we have, no matter how small it is,” she said.

But Democrats in the region say they feel LaMalfa doesn’t represent their interests. “He signed the big bill that is gonna cut Medicaid and cut services from most of his constituents,” said Alice Rogers, chair of the Siskiyou Democratic Party. 43% of district residents are enrolled in Medi-Cal, according to data from the UC Berkeley Labor Center.

Bill Would Protect Californians Who Might Be Targeted By Foreign Governments

Some foreign dissidents in California said they need law enforcement help when the governments they fled threaten them here on U.S. soil.

Exiles from places like China, Iran and India who’ve spoken out against repression back home have been persecuted here in California. Kashmir Singh Shahi, with a Sikh temple in Fremont, said his community has seen that firsthand. “Federal law enforcement agencies have warned several individuals in our area – about threats to their lives and some have experienced surveillance at their homes,” he said.

A bill by Central Valley State Senator Anna Caballero is up for a vote this week. It ensures that law enforcement officers receive specialized training to identify and respond to the persecution of diaspora communities by foreign governments. Caballero said it reinforces the state’s commitment to justice and safety for all residents. “At its core, SB 509 is about upholding the fundamental rights of freedom, safety and self-expression of diaspora communities. Too often, individuals who have fled persecution in their home countries, search for asylum and safety yet continue to face harassment, intimidation and threats—even here in California. By requiring the Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop specialized training for law enforcement, this bill will equip officers to recognize, document, and respond to the growing threat posed by foreign governments targeting diaspora communities,” she said.