California voters overwhelmingly support Proposition 36, a measure that would toughen penalties for certain drug and theft crimes, according to a poll released Friday by the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS).
The poll shows strong support among Californians for the proposition, with 60% of likely voters in favor as the November 5 election approaches, the poll conducted by Berkeley IGS indicates. This initiative reclassifies theft under $950 as a felony for repeat offenders and mandates treatment for individuals with multiple drug convictions, reversing parts of Proposition 47 passed in 2014, which downgraded these offenses from felonies to misdemeanors.
The initiative sees widespread approval across various demographic groups, with only 21% opposed and 19% undecided. “It’s a tall order for the ‘No’ side to get this defeated,” IGS poll director Mark DiCamillo said. “It seems headed for passage.”
The measure garners significant backing from Latino voters, with 73% in favor, according to the poll.
“California voters have stepped away from the punitive policies of the turn of the century, and suggest that several communities, especially Latinos, have more nuanced views on drug crime and punishment today,” co-director of IGS Cristina Mora said in a statement.
The proposition has also found unexpected backing among political independents, with 58% supporting the measure, and even among Democrats, 47% of whom are prepared to vote in favor — despite opposition from top Democratic leaders in the state, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, the poll stated. The measure’s popularity comes amidst growing public concern over crime rates, evidenced by frequent reports of smash-and-grab incidents and the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
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About 61% of voters supporting Proposition 36 cite the need for harsher punishments for repeat offenders as their primary reason, while 21% believe more lawbreakers should face prosecution and 16% think it will lower future crime rates, the poll noted. Opponents of Proposition 36, constituting 54%, criticize its emphasis on punishment rather than rehabilitation, while some express concerns about adverse effects on racial and ethnic groups with 16%, low-income individuals with 11%, and overlap with recent reforms with 6%.
The poll also shed light on other key measures, with Proposition 32, which seeks to raise the state’s minimum wage, garnering less enthusiasm at 46% support, down from 52% in August, the study showed. Proposition 33, concerning rent control, remains even less popular, with support at just 37%.
Recent polling indicates support for California’s Proposition 36 has climbed from 56% in August, amid a 29% surge in retail theft and a 121% rise in fentanyl overdose deaths between 2019 and 2021. Vice President Kamala Harris has remained silent on her stance regarding Proposition 36, as her campaign has refrained from commenting on whether she will support the initiative.
The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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First published by the Daily Caller News Foundation