The release of a new comprehensive post-election statewide poll shows that voters feel pretty optimistic about things in the Golden State… but at the same time, don’t expect too much in the way of change.

The survey from the Public Policy Institute of California provides some insight into how voters feel about the choices they made at the polls on November 7, and the general direction of the state.

In a nutshell: more voters feel optimistic about things after this election than after the 2005 special election… 53% of those surveyed think the state is headed in the “right direction” (compared to only 23% thinking so just one year ago)… and 60% approve of the job performance of Governor Schwarzenegger. Heck, even 36% of those polled approve of the Legislature. That’s pretty high, considering just 20% liked the institution overall in November 2005.

But the poll also shows voters are, well, skeptical. 68% of the voters surveyed by PPIC think state government is run “by a few big interests.” And only 34% are more optimistic about the state’s future in the wake of passing the massive set of infrastructure bonds.

The message may be that voters are keeping an open mind, but not for long.

A couple of other interesting items. First, it’s not surprising that the vast majority of Californians who think the state is headed in the right direction (65%) voted to re-elect the governor. But even 45% of those who think the state is headed in the wrong direction voted for another Schwarzenegger term. Democrat Phil Angelides only garnered the votes of 48% of that gloomy group.

Second, the poll includes an interesting comment about the way gubernatorial campaigns are run. The governor would only agree to participate in one debate this year, with his staff often arguing that incumbent California governors usually have only debated once. But in this new poll, 67% of those surveyed would support an initiative requiring five prime-time TV debates.

Sure, political junkies like me would’ve loved to have seen that. But would the public have really tuned in?

The full poll will be online here later.