“Change” has become the byword in this political season. Candidates are promising what voters seem to be demanding more than ever in recent memory—change, not just in who holds office but in how government is run. In California, as in the rest of the nation, the electorate is disillusioned with the political “establishment.” Yet they have been registering and voting in record numbers—clear evidence that they still have faith in the institution of government, in representative democracy. This paradox translates into an overwhelming demand for change, a message that the people want to take back their government.

The new activism of the electorate offers Governor Schwarzenegger, and others in office or about to be elected, a powerful force to channel into reform and to regain the trust of the people. How can they harness it? What is likely to happen if, instead, they go about business as usual? Change for the sake of change is not likely to satisfy a galvanized electorate, nor help the state face its formidable challenges. What the state needs is change based on informed decisions, and PPIC is dedicated to providing the kinds of information that can lead to such decisions.

One crucial challenge will be the way in which policymakers use the tools and mechanisms they have at hand for reform. For many in the electorate, some of the fundamental tools—redistricting, term limits, the initiative process—have been devalued by the perception that they can and have been hijacked by special interests. What would it take to restore the full faith and credit of such reforms? What other tools are available? How can all reforms be structured and presented to win the trust and support of the voters?

PPIC continually addresses these issues of governance through its in-depth research and statewide surveys that provide immediate information for policymakers on the perceptions and preferences of the electorate. The institute’s goal is to provide objective, nonpartisan research on the most urgent economic, demographic, and social issues facing the state. One of the most compelling issues in the current political context, immigration and immigrants, is the subject of eight new fact sheets. And just posted on this website are two new studies: one on the high school exit exam and the other on the future of California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

In this year of momentous political decisions, we hope you’ll visit our website often and explore our current research. As always, we welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions for the institute, our work, and our website.