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San Diego supervisors direct staff to draft rules for county‑funded polling and community surveys
Summary
The Board voted to direct the CAO and county counsel to draft a policy governing county use of third‑party polling and contracted community surveys, with an emphasis on transparency and limiting requirements to third‑party contracts rather than informal constituent surveys.
Supervisor Andrew Anderson told the board he was moving the item to add checks and guidance for county use of third‑party polling. “This would instruct county council to come back with some rules of engagement,” Anderson said, explaining the proposal is intended to align county practice with state law and avoid misuse of public funds.
Debate among supervisors focused on scope: members agreed the policy should be limited to third‑party contracted polling — not routine, in‑house email or informal surveys — and should cover procurement, posting of contract materials, and accessibility of results. Vice Chair Montgomery SE and other board members suggested adding language to clarify that ‘‘community survey’’ and ‘‘poll’’ be treated consistently when third‑party contractors are used.
Public commenters expressed deep mistrust of government polling and asked for immediate disclosure requirements for contracts, survey instruments and results. Some callers referred to prior incidents or policy disputes and urged the county to publish contracts and results within a short timeframe to avoid misuse or appearance of manipulation.
Board members replied that the board letter does not mandate a particular vendor or method; instead, the CAO and county counsel were directed to return with options and recommended language to ensure transparency and legal compliance. The board approved the motion unanimously.
