  We present single-epoch spectropolarimetry of the Type II supernovae (SNe II)
1997ds, 1998A, and 1999gi. SN 1997ds and SN 1998A were both observed during the
early photospheric phase, while spectropolarimetry of SN 1999gi was obtained
near the start of the transition to the nebular phase. Uncorrected for
interstellar polarization (ISP), SN 1997ds is characterized by p_V = 0.85 +/-
0.02%, SN 1998A has p_V = 0.24 +/- 0.05%, and SN 1999gi is polarized at p_V =
5.72 +/- 0.01%. The low continuum polarization inferred for SN 1997ds and SN
1998A and the amplitude of polarization modulations across strong line features
are consistent with those measured at similar epochs for SN 1987A and the Type
II-plateau SN 1999em, and supports the growing consensus that core-collapse
events with hydrogen envelopes substantially intact at the time of explosion
are not significantly aspherical during the early photospheric phase.
  The spectral shape of the high continuum polarization of SN 1999gi closely
resembles a ``Serkowski'' ISP curve, and is inconsistent with the
wavelength-independent nature of electron scattering expected for an aspherical
SN atmosphere. Since Galactic reddening is minimal along this line-of-sight,
the majority of the observed polarization in SN 1999gi is believed to be due to
ISP of the host galaxy, although significant (up to p = 2%) intrinsic
polarization cannot be ruled out. The potential power of SN spectropolarimetry
to study the properties of interstellar dust in external galaxies is described
and applied to the SN 1999gi data, where it is shown that if the polarization
is indeed predominantly interstellar in origin, then R_V = 3.0 +/- 0.2 for the
dust along this line-of-sight in NGC 3184.
