PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

This is the 39th PPIC Statewide Survey and the 15th in a series of large-scale public opinion polls that PPIC is conducting on a periodic basis throughout California’s election cycles. The purpose of this series is to develop an objective, in-depth profile of the social, economic, and political forces affecting public policy preferences and ballot choices in California.

Some findings of the current survey

• Californian’s trust in their state government is at its lowest level since the statewide survey began in 1998. Only 27% of state residents say they trust the government in Sacramento to do what is right just about always or most of the time.
• Disapproval ratings for Governor Davis remain high (65%), and 53% of likely voters say they would vote to remove him from office.
• A majority of Californians (58%) say their region remains mired in an economic recession.
• Two-thirds of Californians (67%) think the state is headed in the wrong direction.
• If the 2004 presidential election were held today, 45% of the state’s likely voters say they would vote for the Democratic nominee, 40% would vote for George W. Bush.