blog post What’s Wrong with the Recall? By Mark Baldassare Jul 27, 2021 An overwhelming majority of California likely voters say it is a good thing that there is a process for recalling elected officials. But more than two-thirds say the current recall is a waste of money, and a similar share say the recall process should be changed.
blog post Testimony: Californians’ Views on Recall Reforms and the 2022 Election By Mark Baldassare Feb 1, 2022 PPIC president and CEO Mark Baldassare presents legislative testimony on how Californians view recall process changes that could appear on the 2022 ballot.
event Voter Turnout in Primary Elections Jun 6, 2014 About the Program With voter turnout on the decline in California’s primary elections, the state has pursued reforms aimed at expanding the electorate. What have we learned from the new top-two primary system and other efforts? PPIC research fellow Eric McGhee will provide an overview, and a panel of leaders will discuss how to motivate more Californians to exercise their right to vote. This project is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
blog post Election Takeaways: California Voters Send Conflicting Signals By Mark Baldassare Dec 14, 2020 Nearly 18 million Californians voted in the November 2020 election—an all-time high. PPIC’s Mark Baldassare discusses the final election results and what they say about Californians’ mindset and policy preferences in a year of unprecedented challenges.
blog post California’s Immigrants and the 2018 Election Context By Mark Baldassare Mar 30, 2018 With immigration playing a lead role in today’s polarized political discussions, will California’s immigrants have an impact in the 2018 election?
page 2024 Election Mar 21, 2022 PPIC provides timely, independent insights on the state’s electorate and important ballot choices.
Fact Sheet California’s Likely Voters By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Aug 28, 2023 Likely voters lean Democratic and are ideologically mixed. They also tend to be whiter, older, more educated, and more affluent than adults overall.
Report Test-driving California’s Election Reforms By Eric McGhee, Daniel Krimm Sep 13, 2012 In the June 2012 primary, California tested two important electoral changes: new legislative and congressional districts drawn by an independent citizens commission and a "top two" primary system. The results suggest the reforms produced some changes—in particular, more open seats and more competition. However, there was also a great deal of continuity with recent elections: most candidates endorsed by a major party and all incumbents are advancing to the fall election and partisan outcomes were broadly in line with what might have been expected under the old primary system. Over time, the reforms may produce more radical change, but the first step on the road of reform has been a small one.
