California Forever releases Suisun Expansion Plan polling

A new poll of 800 likely Solano County voters by Fulcrum Strategy Group released by California Forever found that 51 percent supported the Suisun Expansion Plan and 49 percent oppose it.

After "more information" was presented to respondents, support rose to 59 percent. The poll was conducted in early February and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.

"Nearly 80% Solano voters say the county needs more homes that are affordable, while 70 percent say the local economy is struggling and jobs are disappearing This is the real world experience of young people who grew up here and can't afford to stay, of working families where parents are commuting long hours, and of seniors squeezed by rising costs," a memo to California Forever from Fulcrum Strategy Group reads. "Residents are clear the status quo is not working."

Sixty two percent of voters indicated that they would support the Solano Shipyard, and 37 percent indicated opposition. Asked if they would support the reestablishment of prior zoning to allow for the "construction of the world's largest shipyard," support shrank to 56 percent.

However, in Suisun City, the municipality that controls the Solano Expansion Plan's future, public opinion has lagged significantly behind these projections in recent months. In January, Solano Together and pollsters FM3 found that less than one in five likely Suisun City voters supported the annexation and Suisun Expansion. According to FM3, total support for the proposal sat at 19 percent (10 percent of respondents strongly support, and 9 percent somewhat support), and total opposition sat at 58 percent (48 percent strongly oppose, and 10 percent somewhat oppose). Undecided voters accounted for the remaining 23 percent of responses.

"Voters are well-aware of the California Forever development in Suisun City," the release from that poll reads. "That familiarity has yielded remarkably broad, strong and durable public opposition - which changes very little after voters are exposed to messages from supporters and opponents of the development annexation plan."

Among 18-29-year-olds, 71 percent support the project after a brief description and 75 percent support it after more information is given to them.

"This is the generation that grew up in Solano County, but does not have opportunities for well-paid careers and homeownership right at home," the release reads. "This is personal for them."

Eighty five percent of Black respondents, 83 percent of Asian respondents, and 74 percent of Hispanic/Latino respondents agreed that Solano County needs more affordable homes for the middle class and young people. Eighty one percent of Black respondents, 83 percent of Asian respondents, and 70 percent of Hispanic/Latino respondents agreed that the county's economy is struggling and losing thousands of jobs. Supermajorities of all of these groups approve of both of the Suisun Expansion Plan and the Solano Shipyard.

"Solano voters see the Solano Shipyard as the chance to restore the county's rich maritime heritage," the release reads.

The pollster released the "initial description" given to respondents. The shipyard consistently polled slightly higher than the Suisun Expansion Plan.

"The Suisun Expansion is located in the southeastern part of Solano County, halfway between Suisun City and Rio Vista," the description reads. "It will include the Solano Foundry, the largest advanced manufacturing park in America, and tens of thousands of new homes of all types in walkable neighborhoods. In the next 5 years, the project is expected to provide tens of thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of new homes, and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for local governments."

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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 8:11 PM.