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Fact check: Did a bill ever go to a vote before the full house to stop partisain gerrymandering?

Checked on August 23, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, no clear evidence exists of a bill specifically designed to stop partisan gerrymandering going to a vote before the full House. The sources reveal a complex landscape of redistricting activities, but none explicitly confirm a comprehensive anti-gerrymandering bill reaching a full House vote.

The analyses do reveal several relevant legislative activities:

  • California's Assembly passed a constitutional amendment authorizing redistricting maps by a 57-20 vote, with the Senate passing three related measures along party lines [1]
  • California Democrats approved a package of bills to establish a November special election for voters to consider new congressional maps, specifically designed to counter Texas gerrymandering [1]
  • The Fair Representation Act was reintroduced in the House, which aims to address partisan gerrymandering issues, though no vote is mentioned [2] [3] [4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the current redistricting arms race happening across multiple states. The analyses reveal that:

  • Texas Republicans are actively redistricting to help their party in the 2026 midterm elections, prompted by President Trump's requests [5] [6]
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a plan for new voting maps that could give Democrats five additional House seats [5]
  • Multiple states beyond Texas and California are engaged in redistricting efforts that could impact the balance of power in the House [7] [6]

Alternative approaches to addressing gerrymandering are also missing from the original question:

  • California Republicans introduced a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment requiring nonpartisan redistricting commissions [8]
  • The Fair Representation Act proposes comprehensive reforms including ranked choice voting and multi-member districts, which would fundamentally transform how congressional elections work [3] [4]

Key beneficiaries of different approaches include:

  • Democratic leadership benefits from California's counter-gerrymandering efforts against Texas
  • Republican leadership benefits from Texas redistricting efforts
  • Reform organizations like FairVote benefit from promoting comprehensive electoral reforms like the Fair Representation Act

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains implicit assumptions that may not reflect the current political reality:

  • It assumes there was a single, comprehensive anti-gerrymandering bill that went to a House vote, when the evidence suggests redistricting battles are happening at the state level with tit-for-tat responses between parties [1] [5]
  • The question frames gerrymandering as something that could be stopped by federal legislation, while the current reality shows state-level redistricting wars where each party uses gerrymandering as a weapon against the other [7] [5] [6]
  • It doesn't acknowledge that both major parties engage in gerrymandering when it benefits them, as evidenced by California's explicit counter-gerrymandering against Texas [1]

The question also oversimplifies the legislative landscape by not recognizing that comprehensive reforms like the Fair Representation Act exist but face significant political obstacles, and that most anti-gerrymandering efforts are currently happening through state-level initiatives and court challenges rather than federal legislation [2] [3] [4].

Want to dive deeper?
What is the current status of the For the People Act in Congress?
How does the Supreme Court's decision on Rucho v. Common Cause impact partisan gerrymandering?
Which states have implemented independent redistricting commissions to combat gerrymandering?
What are the key provisions of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?
Has the House of Representatives ever passed a bill aimed at reducing partisan gerrymandering?