USC students have multiple options for casting their votes on or near campus in the upcoming California statewide special election on Tuesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom called for this special election solely to hold a vote on Proposition 50, a legislative constitutional amendment that would adopt a new congressional district map. According to PBS, the map was drawn by California’s state legislature in response to Texas’s redistricting over the summer. In August, the Texas state legislature passed newly drawn maps that are designed to enable the state to elect more Republicans to Congress during the 2026 midterms. California’s Prop. 50 aims to combat this by adopting a map that creates more favorable districts for Democrats, resulting in the state sending more Democrats to Congress in 2026. Typically, states redraw congressional district maps every 10 years after a census takes place, but Texas began its redistricting efforts after a push from President Donald Trump.
USC students who are California residents can vote in person or by mail. During the 2024 general election, Annenberg Media reported that some students waited an hour or more to vote in person in the USC Village — although turnout for special elections is typically lower than it is for general elections.
Patrick Stinebaugh, a senior studying screenwriting, plans to vote in person in the USC Village and believes other USC students will take advantage of the conveniently located voting center.
“Convenience-wise, I don’t see why [students] would go anywhere else,” said Stinebaugh. “I think anyone who is 50/50 wouldn’t [vote] if there wasn’t a convenient way to do it. I think that having a place [to vote] in the village is really important because it allows you to get the votes from the 50/50 people.”
There are multiple voting centers and ballot drop boxes on or close to USC’s campus that students can use. Below are the five closest locations for USC students to make their voices heard by voting in person on Prop. 50 this Tuesday.
Voting locations Near USC
Map by Nina Moothedath
Voting Centers
USC Village
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hoover Recreation Center
1010 W 25th St.
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
0.7 miles from USC
Ahmason Senior Center
3990 Bill Robertson Ln.
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
0.5 miles from USC
Second Baptist Church
2412 Griffith Ave.
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2 miles from USC
24th Street Elementary School
2055 W 24th St.
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2 miles from USC
Ballot Drop Off Box (ballot needs to be postmarked on or before Election Day)
USC Village
Located next to the parking structure entrance
Ahmanson Senior Citizen Center
3990 Bill Robertson Ln.
0.5 miles from USC
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
400 W Washington Blvd.
1.3 miles from USC
Denker Recreation Center
1550 W 35th Pl.
.9 miles from USC