California
A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.
This is the state view: events recorded for California, then national events that apply here. See the national timeline.
Congressional districts in California
Choose a district to see the events tagged to it. A number after the district is how many events name it.
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- CA-46
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- CA-48
- CA-49
- CA-50
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In California
1993
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Justice Department objects to Hanford annexations
Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department objected to annexations to the City of Hanford in Kings County that were identified in an attachment to its letter. The letter notes this was the first time the city had sought preclearance for any annexation.
- Justice Department: California Section 5 objection letters (list) ↗
- Justice Department objection letter CA-1040 (April 5, 1993) ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Justice Department objects to Monterey County's supervisor redistricting plan
Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department objected to Ordinance No. 3653, the redistricting plan for the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, and did not object to a revised election calendar for the June 8, 1993 special election.
- Justice Department: California Section 5 objection letters (list) ↗
- Justice Department objection letter CA-1030 (February 26, 1993) ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
1992
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Justice Department objects to Merced County's supervisor redistricting plan
Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department objected to the redistricting plan for the Merced County board of supervisors.
- Justice Department: California Section 5 objection letters (list) ↗
- Justice Department objection letter CA-1020 (April 3, 1992) ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
Nationwide
1993
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Supreme Court decides Shaw v. Reno
On June 28, 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court held that voters stated a claim under the Equal Protection Clause by alleging that a reapportionment plan was "so irrational on its face that it can be understood only as an effort to segregate voters into separate districts on the basis of race," without sufficient justification.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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National Voter Registration Act of 1993 becomes law
Public Law 103-31, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, is dated May 20, 1993. The law states its purpose as "to establish procedures that will increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office."
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
How this timeline is built
Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.
When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.