Report What to Expect from California’s New Motor Voter Law By Eric McGhee, Mindy Romero Jun 15, 2016 In 2015, California passed major legislation to increase the state’s voter rolls by simplifying the voter registration process. Under the New Motor Voter Act, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will electronically transmit information about DMV customers who are eligible to vote to the California Secretary of State, which will add eligible customers to the voter rolls unless they opt out. We find that this law has the potential to significantly alter the demographic composition of the California electorate, making the population of registered voters more representative of the state as a whole. Our estimates also suggest that the new system may rapidly expand the voter rolls, adding more than 2 million new registrants in the first year. Key implementation issues will decide the impact of the New Motor Voter Act. To ensure the law’s success, the state should require DMV customers to attest to their eligibility to vote as a precondition for completing their transaction. It will also be necessary to mobilize new registrants aggressively if they are to become new voters.
blog post Voter Registration Is Up Sharply, as Is Partisanship By Dean Bonner Aug 27, 2020 The share of Californians registered to vote has jumped since 2000, and registrants in the two major political parties have grown more polarized in their views.
blog post Reengaging Citizens in the Initiative Process By Mark Baldassare May 11, 2022 California’s initiative process generally receives favorable reviews from voters, but overwhelming majorities across partisan groups say that at least some changes are needed.
press release A Majority of California Likely Voters Would Vote for the Democratic Candidate in Their House District May 25, 2022
press release Two in Three Likely Voters Support Prop 1, the March Ballot Measure on Behavioral Health Services Dec 6, 2023
blog post Widespread Political Disaffection among California’s Likely Voters By Mark Baldassare Feb 9, 2022 A record-high share of California’s likely voters say they’re pessimistic about Americans of different political views coming together and working out their differences.
blog post Abortion Rights Are Number One for Californians this November By Mark Baldassare Sep 14, 2022 A strong majority of likely voters favor Proposition 1, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. Still, Californians’ attitudes toward abortion are more nuanced than might be expected, even in a solidly pro-choice state.
Fact Sheet Millennial Voters and California Politics By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Aug 28, 2019 Millennials are more liberal than older Californians—and more likely to favor immigration, health care reform, and state efforts to address climate change. But only three in ten are likely to vote.
blog post Abortion May Emerge as a Key Issue in California’s Midterm Elections By Dean Bonner Aug 3, 2022 In our latest statewide survey, seven in ten likely voters disapproved of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This ruling and results from state ballot measures on reproductive rights—such as the recent referendum in Kansas—could elevate the role of abortion in the upcoming midterms.
press release PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians And Their Government, California Voters: What They Don’t Know Could Hurt Us? May 30, 2007
