Report Voter Turnout in Primary Elections By Eric McGhee May 1, 2014 California’s new top-two primary system did not produce the increase in voter turnout that many had hoped for in 2012. But it did appear to engage independent voters. Examining primary voting trends over time, this report analyzes voter behavior and the potential impact of electoral reforms in this stage of the election cycle. This research is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
blog post Local Measures Address Water, Fire in the Midterm Elections By Gokce Sencan, Caitrin Chappelle Nov 26, 2018 The midterms saw 33 local measures go to the voters that addressed issues ranging from flood protection to fire resilience.
Fact Sheet Voter Participation in California By Mark Baldassare, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner, David Kordus Sep 9, 2015
blog post Special Elections Preview Fall Voting during COVID-19 By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch May 21, 2020 Two recent special elections in California provide insights into how the state might use vote-by-mail in combination with in-person options to ensure the November 2020 election is both safe and fair.
blog post How Are Californians Viewing the 2024 Elections? By Mark Baldassare Nov 8, 2023 One year out from the 2024 general election, we take stock of key races for federal office as well as some state propositions that are headed for the ballot.
blog post Redistricting Injects Some Uncertainty into the 2022 Elections By Eric McGhee Apr 7, 2022 While new political districts shake things up for incumbents, competitiveness in state assembly districts has declined amid an increasing focus on congressional contests.
blog post COVID-19 Will Make California Elections Challenging but Doable By Eric McGhee Apr 8, 2020 California is better positioned than most states to offer vote-from-home options that promote participation while keeping people safe.
blog post Video: Managing California’s Elections through COVID and Beyond By Eric McGhee Mar 23, 2022 California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber talks with PPIC’s Eric McGhee about key actions the state has taken during the pandemic to promote voter participation, ensure people’s safety, and increase transparency.
blog post Counting Californians and Holding Elections in a Pandemic By Lori Pottinger Apr 1, 2020 For Census Day, we talked to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla about challenges the COVID-19 pandemic brings to counting Californians for Census 2020 as well as to holding elections in November.
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.
