UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies

Wisconsin and Michigan Just Ran the Experiment on Public Polling — and the Instrument Failed Exactly the way it was Built to Fail

August 12, 2026 6:00 pmAugust 12, 2026 6:10 pm

Six days ago, in The Polling Paradox of 2026, I argued that the most-polled midterm in American history had produced the least trustworthy numbers in modern memory, and that public polling had stopped measuring the electorate and started measuring the polling...

New Poll Finds Vast Majority of Californians Believe Special Interest Money Has Too Much Influence in Sacramento

July 10, 2025 2:34 pmJuly 10, 2025 2:34 pm

According to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll released Thursday, the vast majority of Californians believe that special interest money has too much influence in Sacramento politics and decision making, with only 2% of Californians disagreeing...

New Poll: Only 32% of L.A. Voters Hold a Favorable Opinion of Mayor Bass

May 13, 2025 1:38 pmMay 13, 2025 1:39 pm

A new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll released on Tuesday found that favorability ratings for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass remained low four months following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. And her bid for reelection next year...

New Poll Finds Majority of Californians Want Proof of Citizenship Requirement When Registering to Vote

May 9, 2025 4:40 pmMay 9, 2025 4:43 pm

According to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll released on Friday, the vast majority of Californians want to have a proof of citizenship requirement when registering to vote for the first time. The IGS poll found that...

Haughty Gov. Gavin Newsom Takes Credit for ‘Recent Crack Down on Retail Theft’

December 28, 2024 11:25 amJanuary 1, 2025 6:59 am

The recent news stories of actual arrests for blatant crime and serial theft rings in California is thanks to voter’s overwhelming passage in November of Proposition 36 to reverse the state’s perverse lax theft laws. Most people are celebrating that...

We’re Making Crime Illegal Again in California

November 6, 2024 5:18 pmNovember 6, 2024 5:20 pm

California leads the nation in fentanyl deaths, homelessness and retail theft thanks to Proposition 47. For those who haven’t personally witnessed daily brazen theft in mom and pop convenience stores, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, grocery stores and high end retail stores,...

VP Harris Builds Gap Against Former President Trump According To Latest CA Presidential Election Poll

August 14, 2024 1:53 pmAugust 14, 2024 1:53 pm

According a to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll released on Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris gained more ground on former President Donald Trump, with Trump managing to retain all support between the Democratic party ticket...