California's newly drawn congressional maps propose dividing San Joaquin County into five districts, with the City of Stockton split in two.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the redistricting measure, named Proposition 50, into law last week, clearing the way for voters to decide on it in a November 4 special election.

GOP leaders in San Joaquin County expressed their concerns in Tuesday's board of supervisors meeting.

"We worked very hard in this community to come with a consensus across ethnic lines, across party lines," San Joaquin County GOP board member Bishop Dwight Williams said. "We wanted one congressional district, and that's what we're fighting to keep. We can't deal with those national issues. The national issues are bigger than San Joaquin County."

At the meeting, a resolution was put on the agenda to oppose the new maps, with those in support saying the carve-up would make it harder to secure federal funding.

"You can have a mom and dad in one house, have one congressional representative. [Then] a kid who moved two or three blocks away has a different congressional representative... That is something that this community of San Joaquin County didn't want to see," District 5 Supervisor Robert Rickman explained.

The resolution also cited the cost of a special election. Costs are estimated to be more than $250 million statewide. In San Joaquin County, it's expected to cost over $4 million.

However, after a lengthy public comment session, with many people speaking out against the resolution, the board voted it down 3 to 2.

"It sends a message to people that you know, that this is a divided question and divided issue, and how do we do it? We have to let the voters do it," said Democratic Supervisor Paul Canepa. "At the end of the day, people need to get out and vote and vote their preferences. I don't agree right now that San Joaquin County needs to get in the middle of this because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't."

The mayor of Lodi, another San Joaquin County city, recently spoke out with similar concerns over the redistricting effort. The new maps would break Lodi into three separate congressional districts, with Mayor Cameron Bregman saying the move would mean federal funding "is going to be completely destroyed."