Majority of Californians approve of Governor Newsom’s handling of COVID-19, wildfires
Washington, DC, October 21, 2020 – A new Spectrum News/Ipsos polls conducted in California explores gubernatorial approval, sentiments toward COVID-19, voting behavior, and more.
Detailed Findings
A vast majority favor a mask mandate in California and want to close the state’s colleges and universities in response to the pandemic.
- Seventy percent favor a state law mandating masks must be worn at all times in public, including 74% in the Los Angeles DMA, and majorities of Democrats (83%) and Republicans (56%) statewide.
- Two-thirds (65%) agree all colleges and universities should be closed and only offer virtual classes. Support for all-virtual higher education is highest in Los Angeles County (72%; entire LA media market: 67%). There is also bipartisan support for this plan, though Democrats (77%) are more in favor than Republicans (53%).
- Half of Californians cite the coronavirus as the main problem facing the state. This is followed by homelessness (35%).
Gov. Gavin Newsom is viewed positively in the state, bolstered by strong support in the San Francisco area. Support for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing wildfires track closely with his overall approval.
- Overall, 56% approve of the job Newsom is doing running the state. This includes 56% of people within the LA media market and 68% in San Francisco. He is viewed more positively by Californians over age 35 (60-61% for ages 35+) than among 18-34 year olds (46%).
- At the statewide level, similar numbers approve of the job Newsom is doing regarding COVID-19 (58%), the wildfires (56%), and climate change (54%). Again, on all measures, his approval in San Francisco is higher than the state average – especially on COVID-19 (70% approval in San Francisco).
As California is primarily a vote by mail state, a majority prefer to vote that way. However, they are less confident in their mail-in ballots being counted compared to other means of voting.
- Two-thirds (67%) prefer to vote by mail/ballot drop-off. This preference is even stronger in San Francisco (73%) and San Diego/Riverside (79%).
- Overall, 63% are confident their vote would be counted if the vote by mail, compared to 72-74% for dropping off a ballot or voting in person.
In the Los Angeles area, people are evenly split on whether or not to defund the police. There are also mixed feelings, statewide, about reinstating affirmative action.
- Overall, 43% of Californians support reducing their local police department’s budget to invest in social programs, and 48% do not. In the Los Angeles DMA, 46% agree and 45% disagree.
- On the question of reinstating affirmative action in California, through the repeal of Prop. 209, more support than oppose (38% support, 28% oppose), but one in three are unsure of their opinion (34%).
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between October 7-15, 2020, on behalf of Spectrum News. For this survey, a sample of 1,400 adults age 18+ from California was interviewed online in English, including an oversample of 400 respondents in the Los Angeles media market, for a total of 824 interviews in that market.
The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the population of California using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,400, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-4.5 percentage points).
The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for respondents in the Los Angeles media market.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
[email protected]
Mallory Newall
Director, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2014
[email protected]
Kate Silverstein
Media Relations Specialist, US
Public Affairs
+1 718 755-8829
[email protected]
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