Some findings of the survey
- Among likely voters, the Democratic ticket of Senators John Kerry and John Edwards holds a 12-point lead over the ticket of Republican President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (51% to 39%).
- U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer holds an 18-point lead among likely voters over Republican challenger Bill Jones (53% to 35%).
- Proposition 63 — a ballot measure that would fund expansion of mental health services by raising the personal income tax on those making over $1million annually by 1 percent — is backed by 62% of likely voters.
- Proposition 71 — a proposal to fund stem cell research in California with a $3 billion state bond issue — is favored by an 11-point margin and is supported by half of likely voters (50% to 39%).
- Proposition 72 — a referendum on legislation passed last year requiring all large and medium employers in the state to provide health insurance for their employees — remains short of the majority needed to approve the law (41% to 38%).
- One year after Governor Schwarzenegger’s historic election, Californians remain impressed with his performance. Eight in ten say the governor has met (41%) or exceeded (40%) their expectations, and 61% of Californians approve of the way he is handling his job.
This is the 51st PPIC Statewide Survey and the 19th in a series of large-scale public opinion polls that PPIC is conducting on a periodic basis throughout California’s election cycles. The purpose of this series is to develop an objective, in-depth profile of the social, economic, and political forces affecting public policy preferences and ballot choices in California.
Topics
Political Landscape Statewide Survey