blog post Video: A Conversation with Secretary of State Shirley Weber By Mary Severance Apr 14, 2021 Secretary of State Weber discusses her longstanding commitment to broadening voter participation and talks about how California can continue to boost turnout.
blog post Diversity in the California Statehouse By Jennifer Paluch Dec 17, 2020 White lawmakers account for a disproportionately large share of the legislature, while Latinos are underrepresented. But the legislature has gotten more diverse in recent years.
blog post Video: Californians and Their Government By Stephanie Barton Oct 28, 2020 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Mark Baldassare discuss a new statewide survey that examines Californians’ views on the top issues facing the state, key November ballot measures, and the presidential election.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Sep 16, 2020 Key findings from the current survey: A slim majority of likely voters support Proposition 15, which would change how commercial property is taxed. Well below half of likely voters support Proposition 16, which would repeal the state’s ban on affirmative action in the public sector. Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by a wide margin, with 60 percent of likely voters favoring Biden/Harris and 31 percent favoring Trump/Pence. Most Californians remain concerned about contracting COVID-19, but a slim majority believe the worst is behind us.
blog post How Different Would California’s Elections Be If 17-Year-Olds Could Vote? By Eric McGhee Sep 10, 2020 A November ballot measure that would lower the state’s voting age for primary and special elections could result in modest—though in some cases still consequential—shifts in the electorate’s demographics.
Fact Sheet Race and Voting in California By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Sep 2, 2020 Latinos, Asian Americans, and African Americans are less likely to vote than whites.
event Proposition 47 and Racial Disparities in California Jul 1, 2020 While the COVID-19 pandemic has required changes to law enforcement and correctional policies, widespread protests over the police-involved deaths of African Americans have intensified concern about racial and ethnic disparities in our criminal justice system. In recent years, California has implemented significant reforms that, while not motivated by racial disparities, are narrowing them.
Report Proposition 47’s Impact on Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice Outcomes By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Steven Raphael Jun 23, 2020 Proposition 47, which reclassified a number of drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, has led to a marked decrease in racial disparities in arrests and bookings in California. But rates remain significantly higher for African Americans than for other groups.