March 6–17, 2022
1,672 California adult residents; 1,203 California likely voters:
English, Spanish
Margin of error ±4.1% at 95% confidence level for the total sample and ±5.2% for likely voters.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
1. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that Gavin Newsom is handling his job as governor of California?
56% approve
35% disapprove
9% don’t know
2. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that the California Legislature is handling its job?
49% approve
39% disapprove
12% don’t know
3. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the job that state legislators representing your assembly and senate districts are doing at this time?
54% approve
37% disapprove
9% don’t know
Changing topics,
4. Have recent price increases caused any financial hardships for you or others in your household, or not? (If yes, ask: “Has that been a serious hardship, or not?”)
35% yes, serious
32% yes, not serious
33% no
– don’t know
5. How concerned are you, if at all, about not having enough money to pay your rent or mortgage: very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned about this?
26% very concerned
29% somewhat concerned
22% not too concerned
23% not at all concerned
1% don’t know
Next,
6. Overall, how fair do you think our present state and local tax system is—would you say it is very fair, moderately fair, not too fair, or not at all fair?
6% very fair
34% moderately fair
29% not too fair
29% not at all fair
3% don’t know
7. When you combine all of the taxes you pay to state and local governments, do you feel that you pay much more than you should, somewhat more than you should, about the right amount, or less than you should?
35% much more
27% somewhat more
32% about the right amount
3% less than you should
3% don’t know
8. Where do you think California currently ranks in state and local tax burden per capita? Compared to other states, is California’s tax burden per capita near the top, above average, average, below average, or near the bottom?
51% near the top
26% above average
11% average
3% below average
2% near the bottom
7% don’t know
On another topic,
9. Thinking about these four areas of state spending, I’d like you to name the one you think should have the highest priority when it comes to state government spending, [rotate] [1] K-to-12 public education, [2] higher education, [3] health and human services, [or] [4] prisons and corrections.
43% health and human services
37% K–12 public education
10% higher education
7% prisons and corrections
3% don’t know
10. In general, which of the following statements do you agree with more—[rotate] [1] I’d rather pay higher taxes and have a state government that provides more services, [or] [2] I’d rather pay lower taxes and have a state government that provides fewer services?
51% higher taxes and more services
44% lower taxes and fewer services
5% don’t know
Next,
11. How much of a problem is housing affordability in your part of California? Is it a big problem, somewhat of a problem, or not a problem?
64% big problem
25% somewhat of a problem
10% not a problem
1% don’t know
12. Does the cost of your housing make you and your family seriously consider moving away from the part of California you live in now? (If yes, ask: “Does it make you consider moving elsewhere in California, or outside of the state?”)
8% yes, seriously considered moving elsewhere in California
37% yes, seriously considered moving outside of California
54% no, have not seriously considered moving
1% don’t know
On another topic,
13. How much of a problem is homelessness in your part of California? Is it a big problem, somewhat of a problem, or not much of a problem?
64% big problem
25% somewhat of a problem
10% not a problem
– don’t know
14. How concerned are you about the presence of homeless people in your local community today? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?
46% very concerned
35% somewhat concerned
13% not too concerned
5% not at all concerned
1% don’t know
15. In the last 12 months, do you think that the presence of homeless people in your local community has increased, decreased, or stayed about the same?
63% increased
3% decreased
32% stayed the same
2% don’t know
As you may know, the bipartisan Little Hoover Commission held public hearings and has made four recommendations to change the recall election process in California that would require voter approval. If an election were held today….
[rotate questions 16 to 19]
16. [likely voters only] Would you vote yes or no on a constitutional amendment that would raise the signature requirement for triggering a recall from 12 percent of the total votes cast in the last election for that office to 10 percent of the total number of registered voters which would be 2.2 million signatures based on current voter registration?
46% yes
47% no
7% don’t know
17. [likely voters only] Would you vote yes or no on a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the two-part ballot and treat the recall as a “snap” election with the officeholder subject to a recall and the potential replacement candidates automatically placed on one ballot?
42% yes
44% no
13% don’t know
18. [likely voters only] Would you vote yes or no on a constitutional amendment extending the timeframe for conducting recall elections from 60 days to 80 days to no less than 88 days and no more than 125 days?
44% yes
45% no
11% don’t know
19. [likely voters only] Would you vote yes or no on a constitutional amendment to prohibit the initiation of recall proceedings against state office-holders during the first 90 days and the last six months of their term in office?
48% yes
44% no
8% don’t know
20. [likely voters only] Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose having the legislature refer the four constitutional amendments relating to recall reforms to the voters as separate propositions on the 2022 election ballot?
59% favor
28% oppose
14% don’t know
Changing topics,
21. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that Joe Biden is handling his job as president?
50% approve
47% disapprove
3% don’t know
21a. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that President Biden is handling the situation involving Russia and Ukraine?
52% approve
43% disapprove
5% don’t know
[rotate questions 22 and 23]
22. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way Dianne Feinstein is handling her job as US Senator?
41% approve
44% disapprove
15% don’t know
23. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way Alex Padilla is handling his job as US Senator?
44% approve
26% disapprove
30% don’t know
24. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Congress is handling its job?
37% approve
57% disapprove
5% don’t know
25. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way your own representative to the US House of Representatives in Congress is handling his or her job?
55% approve
35% disapprove
10% don’t know
On another topic,
26. [likely voters only] Is voting this year more important to you than in past midterm elections, less important, or about the same?
42% more important
3% less important
54% about the same
– don’t know
27. [likely voters only] If the 2022 election for US House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for [rotate] [1] the Republican candidate [or] [2] the Democratic candidate] in your district? (ask if ‘other’ or ‘don’t know’: “As of today, do you lean more toward [read in same order as above] [1] the Republican candidate [or] [2] the Democratic candidate?”)
42% Republican/lean Republican
51% Democrat/lean Democrat
7% don’t know
28. [likely voters only] Would you prefer to elect a representative to Congress who [rotate] [1] has experience in politics, [or] [2] is new to politics?
46% has experience in politics
43% is new to politics
3% both (volunteered)
8% don’t know
Changing topics,
29. How concerned, if at all, are you that you will get the coronavirus and require hospitalization? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?
14% very concerned
20% somewhat concerned
29% not too concerned
36% not at all concerned
1% have already been hospitalized due to the coronavirus (volunteered)
– don’t know
30. Which comes closer to your view about where the US stands in the coronavirus outbreak: [rotate] [1] the worst is behind us [or] [2] the worst is yet to come?
79% the worst is behind us
16% the worst is yet to come
4% don’t know
31. Have you personally received the COVID-19 vaccine, or not? (If yes ask: “Did you receive a single-dose vaccine, the first of two doses, or have you received both doses of a two-dose vaccine?”)
8% yes, single dose vaccine [skip to q32]
7% yes, first of two doses [skip to q32]
69% yes, both doses of two doses [skip to q32]
16% no
– don’t know
31a. The coronavirus vaccine is now available to all individuals 5 and older. Will you definitely get the coronavirus vaccine, probably get it, probably not get it, or definitely not get it?
– definitely get the vaccine [skip to q33]
2% probably get the vaccine [skip to q33]
3% probably not get the vaccine [skip to q33]
10% definitely not get the vaccine [skip to q33]
83% already got the vaccine (volunteered) [if q31= “yes”, code q31a= “already got the vaccine”]
– don’t know
32. Have you personally received a booster or additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after you were already fully vaccinated, or not? This could include receiving a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or receiving another vaccine after getting the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
67% yes
33% no
– don’t know
33. What do you think is more important [rotate] [1] trying to control the spread of the coronavirus, even if it means having some restrictions on normal activities], [or] [2] having no restrictions on normal activities, even if it hurts efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus? (Get the answer, then ask: “Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?”)
46% control the spread— strongly
18% control the spread— somewhat
9% no restrictions— somewhat
23% no restrictions— strongly
3% don’t know
34. Do you favor or oppose requiring proof of the COVID-19 vaccine to be able to enter large outdoor gatherings or certain indoor spaces such as restaurants, bars, and gyms?
57% favor
41% oppose
2% don’t know
35. What is your opinion with regard to race relations in the United States today? Would you say things are [rotate] [1] (better), [2] (worse); or about the same than they were a year ago?
19% better
47% about the same
31% worse
2% don’t know
36. When it comes to racial discrimination, which do you think is the bigger problem for the country today—[rotate] [1] People seeing racial discrimination where it really does NOT exist [or] [2] People NOT seeing racial discrimination where it really DOES exist?
38% people seeing racial discrimination where it really does not exist
57% people not seeing racial discrimination where it really does exist
6% don’t know
Changing topics,
36a. Given Russian military action involving Ukraine, do you support or oppose the United States and its European allies imposing economic sanctions on Russia?(If support, ask: “Do you support or oppose economic sanctions against Russia if they result in higher energy prices in the United States?”)
56% support, even if higher energy prices
16% support, but not if higher energy prices
4% support, but don’t know
19% oppose
5% don’t know
37. Next, some people are registered to vote and others are not. Are you absolutely certain that you are registered to vote in California?
76% yes [ask q37a]
24% no [skip to q37b]
37a. Are you registered as a Democrat, a Republican, another party, or are you registered as a decline-to-state or independent voter?
46% Democrat [ask q38]
24% Republican [ask q38a]
6% another party (specify) [skip to q40]
24% decline-to-state/independent [skip to 38b]
[likely voters only]
46% Democrat [ask q38]
26% Republican [ask q38a]
6% another party (specify) [skip to q40]
21% decline-to-state/independent [skip to 38b]
38. Would you call yourself a strong Democrat or not a very strong Democrat?
56% strong
43% not very strong
1% don’t know
[skip to q39]
38a. Would you call yourself a strong Republican or not a very strong Republican?
60% strong
37% not very strong
3% don’t know
[skip to q39]
38b. Do you think of yourself as closer to the Republican Party or Democratic Party?
25% Republican Party
52% Democratic Party
15% neither (volunteered)
8% don’t know
39. Next, would you consider yourself to be politically: [read list, rotate order top to bottom]
15% very liberal
20% somewhat liberal
30% middle-of-the-road
20% somewhat conservative
13% very conservative
2% don’t know
40. Generally speaking, how much interest would you say you have in politics—a great deal, a fair amount, only a little, or none?
27% great deal
38% fair amount
27% only a little
7% none
– don’t know
[d1–d15 demographic questions]
