CALIFORNIA, USA — With less than two weeks until Election Day, some of you may have already filled out your ballot and submitted your vote.
But for those who are still deciding and curious about what other California voters think about the statewide ballot measures, a new poll out Wednesday night from the Public Policy Institute of California sheds some light. Conducted earlier this month, the poll of 1,137 likely voters (with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points) puts the 10 propositions into three buckets:
Four are way ahead:
- Prop. 36: Opposed by Democratic leaders, the proposal to increase penalties for certain drug and theft crimes remains popular, with 73% in favor, including 67% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans.
- Prop. 3: With 67% support, voters are primed to scrub the California constitution of language that bans same-sex marriage, especially since it has been legal in the state since 2013.
- Prop. 4: 60% approve the bond issue, which would allow the state to borrow $10 billion for environmental and climate projects.
- Prop. 35: 62% back the measure to ensure that a tax on health care plans is spent on low-income patients.
Three are up in the air:
- Prop. 2: 52% would pass the other $10 billion bond issue, which would go toward repairing facilities at K-12 public schools and community colleges.
- Prop. 5: 48% support lowering the voting threshold for local governments to borrow money to fund affordable housing and other projects.
- Prop. 34: 47% back a proposal requiring certain health care providers to spend most of their revenue from a federal prescription drug discount program on patient care. Funded by landlord groups, the measure is viewed by opponents as targeting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation for pushing Prop. 33 (see below) and previous rent control measures.
And three are trailing:
- Prop. 33: Support to give local governments more leeway to limit rent increases has dipped: 42%, compared to 51% in September.
- Prop. 6: 41% support limiting forced labor as a form of punishment in state prisons, down from 46% in September.
- Prop. 32: 44% support raising the hourly minimum wage from $16 to $18. That’s down from 50% support last month.
One reason why Prop. 32 isn’t faring better is that proponents aren’t doing much outreach, while opponents are leaning into a message that raising wages will lead to higher inflation, writes CalMatters Capitol reporter Jeanne Kuang. Supporters refute the argument, saying the measure will enable 2 million California workers to get raises amid a time when the cost of living is indeed high. Nonetheless, seizing on economic anxiety is a good tactic, said one supporter. Read more in Jeanne’s story.
Other poll findings:
- U.S. Senate: Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff is keeping his huge lead over Republican Steve Garvey: 63% to 37% among likely voters. No Republican has won a statewide race since 2006.
- Newsom: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s job performance rating remains underwater: 52% of likely voters disapprove, while 47% approve. Republicans want to capitalize on his unpopularity.
This article was originally published by CalMatters.
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