Polls & Research

Schwarzenegger Numbers Plummet in California

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Public support for Arnold Schwarzenegger is at a low point in California, according to a poll by the Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University. 34 per cent of respondents in the Golden State approve of the governor's performance, a nine per cent drop since April.

Schwarzenegger—a Republican—won California's recall election in October 2003 with 48.7 per cent of the vote, and will head the state's government until January 2007.

On Jun. 13, Schwarzenegger called a special ballot on eight measures, which include changes to the time required for public teachers to gain tenure, instituting a spending cap, and transferring the authority over redistricting to a panel of retired judges. The election is scheduled for Nov. 8.

In a televised address, Schwarzenegger justified his decision, saying, "I did not come to Sacramento, and you did not send me here, to repeat the mistakes of the past. (...) How can we just stand around while our debt grows each year by billions of dollars?"

On Jul. 8, California attorney general Bill Lockyer filed a lawsuit to remove the redistricting question from the special election ballot. Lockyer—a Democrat who has ruled out running for governor next year—explained his rationale in a statement, which read, "By opting to collect signatures on a ballot measure different from the text reviewed and approved by the attorney general, the proponents violated state law and deceived voters."

According to Lockyer, the discrepancies include "language emphasizing the unique ability of judges to draw competitive districts, altering the method used to identify line-drawers and modifying assorted deadlines."

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Arnold Schwarzenegger is handling his job as governor?

Do you think things in California are generally going in the right direction or are they seriously off on the wrong track?