According to a new poll released on October 23 by the Public Policy Institute of California, Proposition 36— which seeks to increase penalties for certain drug and theft offenses—has garnered the support of 73% of voters, despite opposition from Democratic leaders. With less than two weeks to go until Election Day, many voters may have already cast their ballots. However, for those still on the fence and curious about the opinions of fellow California voters regarding statewide propositions, this recent poll sheds some light.
Conducted in early October, the poll surveyed 1,137 likely voters (with a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points) and categorized ten propositions into three groups.
Proposition 36 leads the charge with 73% support, including 67% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans backing the measure to toughen penalties for certain drug-related and theft crimes.
Proposition 3 also shows strong support at 67%, as voters indicate their readiness to remove a ban on same-sex marriage from the California constitution, particularly since same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since 2013.
Proposition 4 receives backing from 60% of voters who support a bond measure allowing the state to borrow $10 billion for environmental and climate projects.
Additionally, Proposition 35 has 62% support, which ensures that funds raised through taxes on medical plans will be allocated to low-income patients.
In the undecided category, Proposition 2 has 52% of voters leaning towards approving another $10 billion bond for repairing K-12 public schools and community college facilities.
Proposition 5 finds 48% support, aiming to lower the voting threshold for local governments seeking to finance affordable housing and other projects.
Proposition 34 is at 47% support, which would require certain healthcare providers to allocate most of their revenue from federal prescription drug discount programs to patient care. Funded by landlord groups, the proposition faces opposition, particularly from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has previously pushed for rent control measures.
On the other hand, three propositions are trailing in the polls:
Proposition 33 has fallen to 42% support, which seeks to grant local governments more flexibility in controlling rent increases, down from 51% in September.
Proposition 6 is supported by just 41% of voters, which limits the use of forced labor in state prisons—a decline from 46% last month.
Proposition 32 currently stands at 44% support for raising California’s minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour, which is also lower than the 50% seen the previous month. The lack of promotional efforts from supporters is cited as a contributing factor to its poor performance, while opponents argue that a wage increase would lead to higher inflation. Advocates counter that it would provide much-needed raises for 2 million Californian workers during a period of high living costs, emphasizing that tapping into economic anxiety can be an effective strategy.
Other poll results reveal trends for upcoming elections:
In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff leads his Republican opponent, Steve Garvey, with a 63% to 37% margin. No Republican has won statewide in California since 2006.
Governor Gavin Newsom continues to face low approval ratings, with 52% of likely voters disapproving of his performance, while 47% approve. Republicans are looking to capitalize on his unpopularity to gain an advantage in the upcoming elections.
