Sacramento, CA – A new poll released late yesterday from the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California found California voters are overwhelmingly supportive of reforms to the referendum process that were signed into law this year. SEIU members, alongside community and environmental advocates, championed the reforms in AB 421 authored by Asm. Bryan and signed into law by Governor Newsom.
“SEIU members believe deeply in the power of direct democracy as a tool to hold the powerful accountable,” said Arnulfo De La Cruz, President of SEIU Local 2015 and SEIU CA Executive Board Member. “Today’s PPIC poll finds the electorate strongly supports common-sense fixes we championed to ensure referendums truly empower voters rather than greedy special interests looking to confuse voters and abuse our democratic process.”
Key findings from the PPIC poll include:
- By a three to one margin, (72% in favor), likely voters support clearing up ballot language so it is clear their vote on a referendum will either “keep the law” or “overturn” the law
- More than three in four likely voters (78%) favor allowing referendum sponsors to reach a legislative compromise and removing the referendum from the ballot, similar to existing law for ballot measures
- Nearly nine out of ten likely voters (88% in favor) more transparency about who is behind a measure, with the top three funders listed after the ballot title and summary in the state voter information guide.
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SEIU local unions in California are made up of over 700,000 nurses, healthcare workers, janitors, social workers, security officers, in-home caregivers, school and university employees, court workers, and city, county and state employees.