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Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Nicole Willcoxon

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Opposition to offshore drilling has jumped 16 percent since last year.
  • A slim majority say state action is needed right away to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Among likely voters, Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman are about even in the race for governor, with 23 percent undecided.
  • Barbara Boxer and Carly Fiorina are also in a close contest for the U.S. Senate, with 22 percent undecided.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama
[PDF]
Governor Schwarzenegger
[PDF]
California State Legislature
[PDF]

 
Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama
[XLS]
Governor Schwarzenegger [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
 
Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California
[PDF]
Economic Outlook for California
[PDF]
 
Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California
[XLS]
Economic Outlook for California
[XLS]
 
This survey was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
 

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas

Key finding include: Rising prices, the economy, and housing are the top issues for Californians. Most approve of the $18 billion package that Governor Newsom has proposed to address inflation. Majorities think the nation is headed in the wrong direction and anticipate bad economic times in the next year. For the November midterm elections, most likely voters favor the Democratic candidate in their House district and prefer a candidate who wants Roe v. Wade kept in place.

blog post

How Has Party Voting Changed in California?

By Eric McGhee

As part of an ongoing series celebrating PPIC's 30th anniversary, policy director and senior fellow Eric McGhee looks at shifts in Californians’ voting patterns over the past three decades.

blog post

Video: Legislative Leaders Look Ahead

By Linda Strean

Despite their political differences, California’s four legislative leaders have similar views of the state’s most pressing challenges.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Californians are divided on how to spend the budget surplus. But a majority of likely voters (57%) prefer to pay down state debt and build up the reserve, while just 39 percent prefer to restore funding for social services.
  • Californians continue to express distrust in state and federal government; most think both are run by a few big interests looking out for themselves.
  • A slim majority Californians oppose the increased use of fracking; 46 percent favor building the Keystone XL pipeline.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [PDF]
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]
U.S. Congress [PDF]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [PDF]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [XLS]
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
U.S. Congress [XLS]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [XLS]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.

Report

Test-driving California’s Election Reforms

By Eric McGhee, Daniel Krimm

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.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Strong majorities of Californians support the Common Core State Standards and the Local Control Funding Formula.
  • Nearly three in four say the state should fund voluntary preschool for all four-year-olds.
  • About half still consider California’s budget situation a big problem for K–12 education and view state funding for local schools as inadequate.

Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment

By Mark Baldassare, Jennifer Paluch, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Solid majorities of Californians favor government regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and policies to curb global warming.
  • More Californians support than oppose expanding coastal oil drilling; even more favor improving fuel efficiency.
  • Three in four Californians say the state should expand public transit and use existing transportation networks more efficiently—only 18 percent say the state should build more freeways.

Job Approval Ratings:
   President Obama
   Governor Schwarzenegger
   California State Legislature

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
   President Obama
   Governor Schwarzenegger
   California State Legislature

Mood of Californians:
   General Direction of Things in California
   Economic Outlook for California
 
Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
   General Direction of Things in California
   Economic Outlook for California
 
This survey is supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

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