Poll: Most Californians oppose split state

SACRAMENTO, March 12 (UPI) -- Most residents in California oppose a proposal to split the U.S. state in half no matter how such a split would occur, poll results indicate.

The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee said Thursday a Field Poll conducted in February found that 82 percent of the poll's respondents were against any attempts to bisect California to create an Eastern and Western California.

When the proposal involved a Northern and Southern California, 71 percent of respondents voted against such a proposal.

Details regarding the number of poll participants, along with the margin of error, were not reported.

"We just don't see any spikes anywhere in sentiment for splitting up the state," Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said. "No one wants to be cut off from the wealthier areas of the state, or the ones with water."

The Bee said a 1993 poll regarding splitting California found 60 percent of respondents were against a north-south divide of the state. The 1993 findings marked a decline from the 67 percent opposition in a 1992 poll and 72 percent opposition in a 1981 poll.