THIS WAS A STUDY OF SAN MATEO VOTERS AND THEIR PRE-ELECTION REACTIONS TO A COMBINED TAX AND BOND PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE FUNDS. IT PROPOSED (1) TO DETERMINE HOW MANY WOULD VOTE FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSALS, (2) TO IDENTIFY ISSUES IMPORTANT TO VOTERS IN MAKING THEIR DECISIONS, (3) TO CHARACTERIZE THOSE VOTING YES OR NO TO SEE WHO NEEDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, (4) TO DETERMINE THE VOTERS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES. SPOT POLLS WERE TAKEN BEFORE THE ELECTION TO FIND OUT WHY PEOPLE DID OR DID NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS AND TO SHOW AS GREAT A REPRESENTATION OF THE VOTERS AS POSSIBLE. THE 14-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE, USED FOR 1661 INTERVIEWS, IS SHOWN. CONCLUSIONS FROM THE POLLS INCLUDED (1) WHILE BOTH ISSUES WOULD PASS, MORE VOTERS FAVORED THE BOND THAN THE TAX PROPOSAL, (2) CERTAIN ISSUES EMERGED THAT SHOULD BE STRESSED IN PRESENTING THE PROPOSALS, (3) ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE INTERVIEWED RATED THE COLLEGE WELL, MOSTLY THROUGH PERSONAL CONTACT, (4) CERTAIN AREAS OF THE COUNTY WERE LESS AGREEABLE TO THE PROPOSALS, (5) VOTERS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD (WITHOUT CHILDREN UNDER 21) WERE LESS IN FAVOR, PARTICULARLY OF THE TAX PROPOSAL, (6) WHITE-COLLAR AND PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE SHOWED MORE FAVORABLE RESPONSE THAN BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS, HOUSEWIVES, OR RETIRED PEOPLE, (7) THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSALS WERE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE, AND (8) VOTERS WHO FELT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUES WERE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE "YES" FOR THEM. (HH)