Fresno County Transportation Issues�Post-Election Survey

222-6685

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Survey Specifics and Methodology

(Note: Not All Results Will Sum to 100% Due to Rounding)

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Unaided Recall on the�General Election Measure C

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About 7-in-10 recall something about the Fresno County Transportation Measure, with almost 4-in-10 recalling reading, hearing and/or seeing “a lot”.

Q2.

Do you recall reading, hearing or seeing anything about Measure C, Fresno County Transportation ballot measure that was on your ballot this recent November election?

Total�Yes

71%

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Aided Vote

5

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Ballot Title and Summary

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

Fresno County Road Repair/Transportation Improvement Measure

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Without raising tax rates, shall an ordinance to repair potholes,�keep local roads in good condition; upgrade structurally declining bridges/overpasses; improve highway safety, 911 emergency vehicle access, air quality, public transit services; protect low-cost senior transportation options and create local jobs; be adopted, continuing the voter-approved transportation ½¢ sales tax (established 1986), providing approximately $228,000,000 annually for 30 years; requiring audits, public spending disclosure, local control?

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When reminded of the ballot question,�57% recall voting yes and 35% recall voting no.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

Actual Vote

Survey Vote

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About two-thirds or more of voters under 40 recall voting yes, with other age groupings less supportive.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(11%)

(13%)

(14%)

(26%)

(22%)

Informed Vote by Age

(14%)

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More than two-thirds of Democrats voted in�favor of the measure, while less than 50 percent�of Republicans reported doing so.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(39%)

(19%)

Informed Vote by Party

(42%)

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By political ideology, high percentages of those who�identify as liberal voted yes on the measure, with low percentages of self-described conservatives voting yes.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(13%)

(29%)

Informed Vote by Ideology

(19%)

(29%)

(35%)

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Race/ethnicity had little bearing on support for the measure; however, Latinos who completed the survey in Spanish reported voting yes in higher percentages than Latinos who completed the survey in English.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(53%)

(24%)

(43%)

(70%)

Race/Ethnicity

Language by Race/Ethnicity

Informed Vote by Race/Ethnicity & Language by Race/Ethnicity

(30%)

(6%)

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One-in-two voters living in households�with incomes between $100K-$150K voted no.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(24%)

(29%)

Informed Vote by Household Income in 2022

(16%)

(19%)

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Voters living in District 1 voted yes in slightly higher percentages than at least voters in Districts 2 and 5.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(14%)

(29%)

(11%)

(17%)

Informed Vote by Supervisorial District

(29%)

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Those who perceive there is a great or at least�some need for additional funding were�more likely to vote yes on the measure.

Q4. Now that you have heard the official language, do you recall if you voted yes in favor of Measure C or no to oppose it? 

(% of Sample)

(56%)

(80%)

Informed Vote by Funding Need

(5%)

(15%)

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Understanding Why Voters�Voted the Way They Did:� Volunteered and Aided Reasons

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General opposition to taxes, concerns about waste and mismanagement, perceptions of roads being in poor condition, and a belief that past promises had been broken were the main volunteered reasons why voters voted No on the measure.

Q5b.

In a few of your own words, why did you vote No on Measure C?

(Open-ended Grouped Responses; Multiple Responses Accepted; Asked of No Voters Only, n=229)

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To this end, the fact they are already paying taxes for road repairs, perception that past promises were broken, and belief that there is a need for a tax break were selected as primary reasons why voters opposed the measure.

Q14. I want to return to Measure C, the transportation measure, that was on this past Novembers County ballot. I am going to read you some things people have said as to why they voted no on the Fresno County Transportation Measure. Please tell me if you think it is a major reason, minor reason,�not much of a reason, or not at all for why you voted no on the measure.

(Ranked by Major Reason to Have Voted No; n=229)

Not enough money was set aside for roads, freeways and highways and�too much would have gone to�other transportation issues

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Continued

Q14. I want to return to Measure C, the transportation measure, that was on this past Novembers County ballot. I am going to read you some things people have said as to why they voted no on the Fresno County Transportation Measure. Please tell me if you think it is a major reason, minor reason,�not much of a reason, or not at all for why you voted no on the measure.

(Ranked by Major Reason to Have Voted No; n=229)

There was no need for it because�the current measure will not expire�for several years

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Fixing the roads is the�primary volunteered reason to have voted yes.

Q5a.

In a few of your own words, why did you vote Yes on Measure C?

(Open-ended Grouped Responses; Multiple Responses Accepted; Asked of Yes Voters Only, n=375)

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Keeping roads in good condition/safe, and the need for additional funding and a plan for the future were the top reasons for voters to vote Yes on the measure.

Q13. I want to return to Measure C, the transportation measure, that was on the ballot this November in Fresno County. I am going to read you some things people have said as to why they voted yes on this measure. Please tell me if it was a major reason, minor reason, not much of a reason, or not at all a reason for why you voted yes on the measure.

(Ranked by Major Reason to Have Voted Yes; n=375)

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Continued

Q13. I want to return to Measure C, the transportation measure, that was on the ballot this November in Fresno County. I am going to read you some things people have said as to why they voted yes on this measure. Please tell me if it was a major reason, minor reason, not much of a reason, or not at all a reason for why you voted yes on the measure.

(Ranked by Major Reason to Have Voted Yes; n=375)

This measure was simply a continuation�of a voter approved transportation funding�that has helped maintain and improve�Fresno County’s transportation system�for decades

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Awareness of the�Final Election Result

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Almost 7-in-10 are uncertain or incorrect as to whether�the Fresno County transportation measure passed.

Q10.

Sometimes people are busy and it is difficult to keep up with all the news, but to the best of�your knowledge, did Measure C, the Fresno County transportation measure pass this November?

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Looking to The Future

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Eight-in-ten perceive a great or some need for additional funds for Fresno County’s transportation system �in the current study, down from prior surveys �conducted before the measure was placed on the ballot.

Q11. Now knowing that Measure C did not pass, generally speaking, would you say that Fresno County has a great need, some need, a little need or�no real need for additional funding for the County’s transportation system, including freeways, highways, local streets and public transit? �Wording is Slightly Different from Previous Surveys

2021

2022

Great/�Some�Need �87%

Little/�No Real�Need�8%

Great/�Some�Need �88%

Little/�No Real Need�10%

2023

Great/�Some�Need �80%

Little/�No Real Need�15%

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Voters who either voted no, did not vote, or did not volunteer�how they voted said they would vote yes in the future if the measure does not raise taxes, features oversight/transparency and would lead to roads/infrastructure actually being fixed.

Q6. What would you need to hear, if anything, for you to support continuing this funding measure in the future?

As you may know, there is currently a voter-approved funding measure in place to�pay for transportation maintenance and improvements in Fresno County that will expire.�Measure C would have continued this funding for 30 more years.

(Open-ended Grouped Responses; Asked of Voters: Voted No, Did Not Vote, or Did Not Say How Voted, n=279)

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Pothole and road repairs is the top investment priority,�with high percentages also wanting investment in addressing historically disadvantaged areas and groups and improving highway/freeway safety and congestion.

Q12. Now taking a step back from Measure C, I am going to mention some ways transportation funding could be used in Fresno County as part of a countywide transportation plan. Please tell me if you would like to see much more investment, somewhat more investment, about the same investment, somewhat less investment or much less investment on that item than what is currently provided.

(Ranked by Total More Investment)

Providing transportation funds for historically overlooked areas, including rural, low-income and minority communities

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Conclusions

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Conclusions

Why they voted the way they did:

• When presented with the November 2022 Fresno County transportation sales tax�ballot title and summary, roughly seven-in-ten recall how they voted.
• Those who voted no volunteered a number of reasons for doing so, with a plurality mentioning their opposition to taxes in general, waste and mismanagement, and that they do not trust how the money will be spent.
• When presented with reasons why some people voted no, around two-thirds also said major reasons included the fact they already pay to fix the roads and that with current high inflation and gas taxes, they felt they needed some tax relief.

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• Among those who voted yes, a majority volunteered that they did so to fix the roads,�but when presented with a list of reasons, they also said in high percentages that�they wanted safe roads, that there is a need for funding and that the County has to plan for�the future.

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Conclusions; Continued

Future:

• Eight-in-ten continue to perceive Fresno County needs additional funds for the County’s transportation system.
• Among those who either voted no, did not vote on the measure or did not share how they voted, between 10 and 17 percent said they would consider voting yes if there was transparency/accountability, and roads were repaired.
• About two-thirds or more want a countywide transportation plan that invests in:
• pothole and road repair,
• historically disadvantaged demographic and geographic communities,
• improving safety on local highways and freeways and,
• improving traffic congestion relief on local highways and freeways.

Awareness of Final Results:

• Only roughly three-in-ten are aware that the measure did not pass.

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Fresno County Transportation Issues�Post-Election Survey

222-6685

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