The two most populous states are in a political battle poised to have a major impact on the balance of power in Washington DC.

The major parties' redistricting battle escalated this week, with lawmakers in the country's two most populous states each taking a notable step toward a new congressional map.

This fall, California's voters will decide whether to approve the Democratic party's plan to gerrymander the state's congressional map, which serves a transparent political purpose: countering Texas Republicans' new map.

California Democrats passed a trio of redistricting bills Thursday, a day after Republicans in the Texas House passed new maps of their own.

As Texas Republicans and California Democrats redraw U.S. House districts to their advantage ahead of next year's elections, they're potentially disrupting a rare partisan balance in American politics.

The effort is aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional districts after Texas’ GOP-led House advanced its controversial new electoral map a day earlier.