Voters Show They’re Fed Up With Crime In Poll On Blue State Proposition

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