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Statewide Survey · November 2005

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Initiative Process

Mark Baldassare

Some findings of the current survey:

Voters Are Angry

  • 60% of California voters considered the special election a bad idea.
  • 68% said things in California are generally going in the wrong direction.
  • Only 17% of special election voters think they can trust elected officials to do what is right always or most the time.
  • 78% of the special election voters think that the state government is run by a few big interests rather than for the benefit of all of the people.
  • Majorities disapprove of the governor’s performance in office (56%) and the job performance of the state legislature as well (66%).
  • An overwhelming majority (76%) disapprove of the way that the two branches of government are working together in making public policy.
  • Voters support the idea of limiting initiatives to November general ballots (53%), requiring the governor to have the approval of the legislature before calling special elections on initiatives (54%), increasing public disclosure of funding sources for initiative campaigns and signature-gathering efforts (85%), and requiring televised debates on initiative measures (77%).

This is the 61st PPIC Statewide Survey and the fourth in a series of surveys focusing on Californians and the initiative process, as well as state and national issues. This special survey series is funded by The James Irvine Foundation.


Topics

Political Landscape Statewide Survey