On October 14, 2025, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution expressing Tulare County’s stand against Proposition 50, the ballot measure before California voters to redraw Congressional district boundaries. (The proposition passed in the November, 2025 election at 64.42% in favor.)
On June 5, 2026, I became interested in who requested this item be brought forth before the Board of Supervisors, and filed a Public Records Act request. To it’s credit, Tulare County responded quickly and thoroughly.
In that request, I asked who directed the item be placed on the agenda, and who wrote the suggested resolutions (one supporting the proposition, and one opposing it). After wading through a bunch of emails, and numerous copies of the same documents providing background (everyone seems to forward responses with the attachments), it became relatively clear.
Supervisor Vander Poel, in an email to the Board of Supervisors Chief of Staff, Israel Sotelo, on September 29, 2025, said, “I was approached this weekend regarding Tulare County’s position on Proр 50. I noticed Kern County took a position recently. Can we get an agenda item set for mid October to consider the same?”
On October 14, the item was on the Board agenda, with two drafts presented. One in support of the proposition, and one opposed.
Staff researched the issue, with emails flying fast and furious from hither and yon as they worked on Vander Poel’s request.
It appears to me the staff referenced the Kern County resolution in it’s research, so I’ll present Kern’s resolution here.
Here’s Tulare County’s resolution, adopted on October 14, 2025.
My past blog on the matter can be found here, “Tulare County Board of Supervisors Public Records Request – the road so far“
As an editorial comment, I must say I like Tulare County’s resolution’s format much better than Kern County’s. (I disagree with both resolutions, of course). I also noticed that Kern County’s resolution is better in another aspect, over Tulare County’s.
The Kern County resolution says, “This Board expresses its strong opposition to Proposition 50…”
The Tulare County resolution says, “THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the County of Tulare opposes Proposition 50.”
Kern County makes it clear it’s the Board of Supervisors who strongly opposed Proposition 50. Tulare County says the entire county opposes it. For the record, 55.12% of voters in Tulare County opposed 50, but 44.88% supported it.
So, to wrap it up in a pretty bow, Supervisor Vander Poel asked for the item to be placed on the agenda. Staff wrote up a resolution supporting Proposition 50, and one opposing it. The Board voted 4-0 (Supervisor Valero absent) to pass the resolution in opposition.
The Supervisors did get some pushback on their vote. I spoke during public comments for that meeting, urging them to either support Proposition 50, or take no action. There were emails in opposition (after the fact, however) also received by the Board.
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