It's Election Day
Tomo Chien
November 04, 2025
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
Californians head to the polls today to vote on a ballot proposition that would redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democrats. Prop. 50, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is meant to counteract Republican-led gerrymandering in Texas and, essentially, stick it to Donald Trump. Still undecided? Read a voter guide.
2.
Interim President Beong-Soo Kim said USC is on track to eliminate its budget deficit by July. Another item of note in his announcement yesterday: Kim said USC will end a “payroll practice benefitting many of the highest compensated members of our community” in order to trim costs — though it’s unclear what that actually means.
3.
Looking for new furniture? USC is listing loads of lightly used inventory in an online surplus sale. Most items appear to be old office and dorm furniture, though you can bid on a set of massive concrete lions starting at $100. It’s a bit of a pain to sign up for access, but you can do so here.
4.
A USC study found that ICE raids in Orange County have caused about $275 billion in economic losses. It’s one of the first studies to measure the tangible economic effects of raids that by design sow fear in immigrant communities. “A single raid can destabilize a neighborhood’s entire economy,” the authors wrote.
5.
Tens of thousands of Angelenos packed the streets in Dodger blue yesterday. The New York Times wrote: “It was a celebration not only of the team’s hard-won victory in the 2025 World Series … but also of the city’s own survival after a gut-wrenching year.” See beautiful photos of the parade at the link below.