Executive director Coyote Marin presented these charts at a June 12 donor-only event. Now they’re available to everyone. Let’s look at graphs with Coyote!
Category: California Independence
Yes, peaceful secession is real. No, it can’t be done without the consent of Congress.
California Focus: Could Trump drive a serious California secession movement?
Thomas Elias: There can be no doubt that the relatively few Californians strongly interested in becoming an independent country have had high hopes that President Trump’s “War on California” would drive many new adherents to their camp.
So far, it is not happening at a level that can be taken seriously. That’s the upshot of a new poll taken by the YouGov survey service for the Carlsbad-based Independent California Institute (ICI).
Sacramento Bee: California dreamin’ — of independence: Could the golden state ever secede?
Robin Epley: If you, like me, in recent days have wistfully considered a utopian fantasy where an economically powerful country of California breaks away from the chaos of a second Donald Trump presidency, then I have both good news and bad news for you:
The good news is that the fantasy seems to be rapidly gaining support. A new YouGov poll of 500 California adults, commissioned by the Independent California Institute last month, reports a record high 44% who say they would vote for the state to secede from America and become a fully independent nation.
The Economic Times: On US Independence Day, 44% in California, the world’s 4th largest economy, want to secede – is a breakaway vote next?
California independence movement is gaining momentum, with fresh 2025 YouGov poll results revealing that most Californians now trust Sacramento more than Washington. A rising 71% want California autonomous status, and 56% say Californians would be better off with peaceful secession. From controlling state borders like a country to arresting rogue ICE agents, residents are leaning into California self-governance more than ever.
The push for California independence isn’t just symbolic—it’s tied to land rights, immigration enforcement, and even tax reform. Dive into the full story to see what Californians really think about their future outside federal control.
Newsweek: California Independence Support Hits ‘Record High’
James Bickerton: A new poll has found 44 percent of Californian adults would vote for the state to leave the United States and become a fully independent nation, which the Independent California Institute (ICI) told Newsweek is a “record high poll result for secession.”
The latest poll also found 50 percent of Californians said they trust state authorities in Sacramento more than the federal government in Washington D.C., with only 23 percent having the opposite view. This was a stark deterioration in the federal government’s position since the last ICI survey in January, which put the figures at 34 percent for Sacramento and 18 percent for Washington D.C. respectively.
Press Release: Poll: Californians ready to govern themselves, but slim majority would sink secession initiative
Carlsbad, CA: A record 71% of Californians said they would be better off if California negotiated special autonomous status within the U.S., giving Californians more control over decisions currently made by the federal government, in a poll conducted this June. The poll was conducted by YouGov for the Independent California Institute, a non-profit think-tank.
Poll: Californians ready to govern themselves, stop just short of secession
50% of Californians say they trust Sacramento more than Washington—only 23% say the reverse.
71% say California would be better off with special autonomous status within the U.S.
44% of Californians would vote for a ballot measure for peaceful, legal secession—but 54% would vote against.
72% of Californians want California police to arrest federal immigration officers that exceed their authority or act maliciously.
80% of Californians want to control borders with other states “like a country.”
Californians endorse more than a dozen changes to state policy that would make California more autonomous.
Do California cities have to fly the American flag?
California’s state flag is a powerful symbol of resistance and unity in the face of a cruel, lawless presidential administration. Across California, people are taking down their American flags and flying the California flag instead.
What if Californians want our elected local governments to do the same thing? Is that legal? And if not, what else can we do?
There are at least four big opportunities for pro-independence activists to organize locally around how California governments fly flags. But first, we need to know the law inside and out.
The not-so-subtle connection between ICI and ‘Uncle Patrick’s Secessionist Breakfast’
Have you read “Uncle Patrick’s Secessionist Breakfast,” the latest short story by California author Dave Eggers? It takes the debate about California secession, and wraps it up in a cute story about a family reunion at a California family ranch.
Fiction is so important to social change, for the simple reason that you need to be able to imagine something before you can do it. For California independence, such works are few and far between.
You might ask, what matters more to a movement, works of fiction like Dave Eggers’ that capture the imagination, or in-depth, fact-based research like ours? Well… both? Here’s why.
What if California broke away from America’s broken health care system?
A 2025 survey of California voters suggested that a majority of respondents support a peaceful secession from the United States. But, a lot of our health care system is interconnected with the federal government. What happens if California breaks away on its own?