The California Business Roundtable/Pepperdine University School of Public Policy poll tracking ballot measures every two weeks showed declining support for Proposition 32, the measure that prohibits political contributions by payroll deduction and contributions from unions and corporations to candidates.
The poll had the measure leading 53% to 37.1%. However, the margins have closed. Two weeks ago, the Yes side had 57.3% to 33% for the No side. Since the beginning of the poll series, the Yes side has declined nearly 10% and the No vote has risen about 9%.
Pepperdine University professor, Michael Shires, said that the No on Proposition 32 campaign is the only one that has visibility around the state, which may account for the change in the poll numbers. He said polling indicated a drop in support for the measure amongst all the groups and sections delineated by the poll.
California Business Roundtable president, Rob Lapsley, said the No campaign has activated its grassroots network, particularly through unions, and is sending out mail and circulating flyers besides running radio ads. There has been no equivalent activity on the Yes side.
The poll also tested how voters felt about the pension reform passed by the legislature. Nearly 34% said it did not go far enough, 30% called it balanced, while 18% said it went too far and another 18% was undecided.
In a question on the High Speed Rail, nearly 44% opposed and 39% supported the rail project.
Professor Shires noted that the voters’ feelings about California improved some since the last poll with 33% saying California was on the Right Track, up from 27%. However, the Wrong Track side still outpolled the Right Track by about two-to-one.
Governor Jerry Brown’s approval rating was up from 41% approval to 47%.
Shires said in both the cases of the Right Track/Wrong Track and Brown’s rating, it was Democrats who were moving in support of the governor and the Right Track answer. He said Democrats seem to be “more comfortable with the political environment.”
All the ballot measure results can be found here.