LOCAL ELECTIONS : THE TIMES POLL : Crime Tops Voters' List of Concerns

By SAM ENRIQUEZ

June 9, 1994 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Reflecting statewide worries, voters in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys cited crime and immigration as top issues in the primary election, registering a deep discontent that cuts across party lines.

And the Northridge earthquake--which caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage--barely registered a response, according to exit polls conducted by The Times.

Among all who voted, 74% said they are displeased with the direction of California, citing crime, immigration and education as the most important issues in the election.

Although only 20% of local voters say they are better off financially than they were four years ago, they ranked the economy and jobs fourth among top election issues.

The earthquake recovery was ranked last among 11 issues polled--listed by only 3% of voters as important--behind health care, the environment, state budget, ethics in government and bringing business into the state.

Only 59% of local voters supported the earthquake relief bond measure, Proposition 1A, far from an overwhelming response to the disaster that was centered in the San Fernando Valley.

“If it only gets 60% in the Valley, it’s going to lose all over,” said John Brennan, director of The Times Poll.

The measure received 46% of the vote statewide.

In general, local voters mirrored voters statewide, with majorities casting ballots for state Treasurer Kathleen Brown and Gov. Pete Wilson, according to 1,088 interviews with Democratic and Republican party voters and conducted at 25 polling places in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys. The poll has a margin of sampling error four points in either direction.

Among Democrats, Brown won 46% of the local vote compared to 48% statewide, according to the poll.

Wilson received 58% of Republican votes in the two valleys, compared to 62% throughout California, according to the poll.

Second-place finishers John Garamendi and Ron Unz both received about the same proportion of votes locally as they did statewide.

As she did statewide, Brown drew support from liberal Democrats in the area, while Wilson was supported by moderates and conservatives, according to the poll.

Locally, 44% of primary voters said that in a head-to-head race they would support Wilson, while 37% favor Brown. Wilson has a similar edge among voters statewide, according to the poll.

“But those numbers may not reflect the larger November electorate,” Brennan said.

Locally and statewide, 60% of the voters say they disapprove of the way Gov. Wilson is doing his job.

In the state treasurer’s race, state Sen. David Roberti of Van Nuys received a bare majority, 51%, among area voters in his unsuccessful run. He lost in the Democratic Party primary to Phil Angelides, who collected 55% of the vote statewide.

Local voters who cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election were--as in past years--overwhelmingly white, older, more affluent and better educated than the area’s adult population in general.

Whites comprise a little more than half of the Valley’s 1.2 million residents, with Latinos more than one-third. But in Tuesday’s primary election, whites accounted for 89% of Republican Party voters and 84% of Democratic Party voters.

Latinos accounted for about 5% of the votes cast in both parties.

More than one-third of Democratic and 31% of Republican voters polled locally said they were 60 years of age and older. Nearly 70% of local voters in both parties earn more than $40,000 a year.

Local Democratic voters report higher earnings than their counterparts statewide, with 41% having incomes greater than $60,000 compared to only 31% in the rest of the state who say they earn that much.

Locally, Jewish voters accounted for 29% of Democratic Party votes, compared to 6% statewide. The high proportion, along with the high percentage of senior citizen voters, is indicative of the low voter turnout. Both Jewish and senior voters tend to cast ballots, even in low-turnout elections.

“With a few exceptions--the large Jewish vote, for example--Valley voters are a pretty fair representation of voters statewide,” Brennan said. “And like voters statewide, their top issues are crime, immigration, education and the economy.”

How the Poll Was Conducted The Times Poll interviewed 5,234 voters, including 2,656 Democratic and 2,275 Republican primary voters as they exited 110 polling places across the state. The poll included an over sample of 1,088 voters in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, including 610 Democrats and 426 Republicans interviewed at 25 polling places. Precincts were chosen based on the pattern of turnout in past primary elections. The survey was by confidential questionnaire. The margin of sampling error for percentages based on the entire statewide sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points; for the valleys’ sample it is 4 points. For some subgroups the error margin may be somewhat higher. Because the survey does not include absentee voters or those who declined to participate when approached, actual returns and demographic estimates by the interviewers were used to slightly adjust the sample. Assisting The Times in this exit poll was Davis Market Research Services of Calabasas.

The Valley Vote How did you vote on Proposition 1A (earthquake relief bond act)O?

Valley All voters voters For 59% 46% Against 41% 54%

If you voted in the Democratic primary, for whom did you vote? Dem. Governor

Valley All voters voters K. Brown 46% 48% Garamendi 35% 33% Hayden 14% 14% Someone Else 5% 5%

Dem.Secretary of State

Valley All voters voters Miller 37% 385 Moore 31% 30% Woo 32% 325

Dem. Treasurer

Valley All voters voters Angelides 49% 55% Roberti 51% 45%

If you voted in the Republican primary, for whom did you vote? GOP Governor

Valley All voters voters Unz 38% 34% Wilson 58% 62% Someone Else 4% 45

GOP Lieutenant Governor

Valley All voters voters Statham 33% 37% Wright 67% 63%