Civic Capacity: Voting Record

Sierrans Voice Opinions Regarding their Communities

Why is it important?

Voting expresses a preference for particular candidates, and increasingly, it is a way for Sierrans to voice their opinions about the Sierra Nevada's future. Several recent California state voter initiatives provide evidence about local feelings toward important issues in the Sierra – education facilities and clean water supply. Educational facilities are important because of the region's rapid growth rate, local use of schools as community centers, and preservation of unique historical resources through renovation of decorative, yet technologically obsolete, school buildings for continued use. Since the Sierra Nevada supplies much of the state's water, as shown in the Water Use section in the Natural Indicators, protecting local water quality is of statewide importance.

How are we doing?

Sierrans were less likely to vote in support of supplying clean water and building public education facilities than other Californians, although, the public education bond passed narrowly in all four Sierra regions. Citizens of the North Central subregion had greater support for the measures than other Sierrans, though less than the state's urban areas. This may be due to Sierrans believing their communities already provide educational facilities and clean water, or they may disagree with paying for these through debt financing. Sierrans prefer working within their own communities to accomplish goals rather than waiting for a government agency to step in and make decisions. Thus, historically, they have rejected state efforts to manage natural resources.

Download data and charts part 1
Download data and charts part 2