Tag: vaccinations

Most Californians Favor Requiring Vaccinations

The United States is currently experiencing its worst measles outbreak in more than 20 years, with more than 1,234 people diagnosed with the disease this year—including 67 cases in California. One of the year’s most contentious bills, Senate Bill (SB) 276 addresses this issue by establishing stronger standardization and oversight of medical exemptions from vaccines. (In 2015, California was the first state to repeal religious and personal belief exemptions.) Approved by the assembly and senate and awaiting the governor’s signature, the bill has attracted numerous protests in Sacramento. With public health concerns on one hand and parental choice on the other, how do Californians view vaccinations?

In PPIC’s May Statewide Survey, an overwhelming majority of Californians (73%) said parents should be required to vaccinate their children for diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella. This view is held by at least seven in ten across genders, political parties, and those with and without children in the household. Majorities across demographic groups and regions say vaccinations should be required, as do about three in four Asian Americans, whites, and Latinos—compared to 53 percent of African Americans.

figure - Most Californians Think Parents Should Be Required To Vaccinate Their Children

Vaccine safety has been an ongoing matter of concern, despite assurances from the scientific community. Today, nearly all Californians say that the vaccines given to children are safe (62% very, 27% somewhat). The share that say vaccines are very safe is held by strong majorities across parties, as well as majorities across regions and demographic groups. Notably, among Californians who say parents should be able to decide whether or not to vaccinate their children, 73% say vaccines are safe.

At the same time, eight in ten residents are concerned that measles outbreaks will become more widespread (43% very, 36% somewhat). This view is held by majorities of Californians, although the share who say they are very concerned is higher among older Californians than younger Californians (48% to 34%) and among women than men (48% to 38%).

Even as most Californians support vaccination requirements—and worry about public heath—the discussion around SB 276 remains volatile. PPIC will continue to monitor public opinion as this important issue unfolds.

Video: Californians and Their Government

Less than a year before California’s presidential primary, likely voters who are Democrats or who lean Democratic are divided on strategy: is it more important for the party to nominate the candidate who seems mostly likely to defeat President Trump or the candidate whose positions align most closely their views? But almost all Californians see voting in the 2020 elections as very important. At a lunchtime briefing in Sacramento last Thursday, PPIC researcher Dean Bonner outlined these and other key findings from the latest statewide survey.

Two in three California likely voters say they will definitely or probably choose a candidate other than Trump. There is a huge partisan divide on this question: 93% of Democrats and 66% of independents would definitely or probably vote for another candidate if the election were held today, while 82% of Republicans would definitely or probably vote for Trump.

Most Californians say that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller did not clear the president of wrongdoing, and Californians are more likely that the nation as a whole to say impeachment proceedings should begin. But here, too, there is a partisan divide: 66% of Democrats say Congress should begin the process, compared to only 39% of independents and 9% of Republicans.

Other survey highlights:

  • A majority of Californians say their housing costs cause a financial strain; six in ten favor the governor’s plan to allocate $1 billion to address homelessness, and similar shares favor proposed new rules intended to create more affordable housing.
  • Three-quarters of Californians see participation in the 2020 Census as very important—but most have concerns about confidentiality.
  • An overwhelming majority are concerned about rising electricity bills in the wake of the PG&E bankruptcy.
  • Californians are concerned that the recent outbreak of measles could spread; most believe that vaccines are very safe and an overwhelming majority say vaccination against measles and other diseases should be required.