PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Initiative Process, September 2005
Mark Baldassare

September 2005

Some findings of the current survey

• Californians think that initiatives (39%) should have more influence than the legislature (32%) or governor (18%) over state policy.
• Most residents (74%) feel that initiatives raise important issues that elected officials have not adequately addressed.
• Despite their loyalty, 63% of Californians think the initiative process needs either major (29%) or minor (34%) changes.
• Many residents believe that special interests have too much control over the initiative process (92%), find the ballot wording for initiatives complicated and confusing (77%), and think there are too many propositions on the state ballot (62%).
• Half of state residents say they have less confidence now than before Hurricane Katrina that the government can handle a major terrorist attack (51%) or a major California earthquake (54%).
• 62% of Californians think the nation is headed in the wrong direction.
• November Ballot Measures:
• Proposition 74 (teacher tenure), 43% yes, 47% no
• Proposition 76 (spending and funding limits), 26% yes, 63% no
• Proposition 77 (redistricting), 33% yes, 50% no
• Proposition 78 (prescription drug discounts), 43% yes, 38% no
• Proposition 79 (prescription drug discounts), 34% yes, 40% no

This is the 59th PPIC Statewide Survey and the second in a series of three surveys focusing on Californians and the initiative process. This special survey series is funded by The James Irvine Foundation.