  Spectropolarimetry of the Type Ib SN 2008D, associated with the XRF 080109,
at two separate epochs, are presented. The epochs of these observations
correspond to V-band light curve maximum and 15 days after light curve maximum
(or 21 and 36 days after the XRF). We find SN 2008D to be significantly
polarized, although the largest contribution is due to the interstellar
polarization component of Q_ISP=0+/-0.1% and U_ISP=-1.2+/-0.1%. At the two
epochs, the spectropolarimetry of SN 2008D is classified as being
D1+L(HeI)+L(Ca II). The intrinsic polarization of continuum wavelength regions
is <0.4%, at both epochs, implying an asymmetry of the photosphere of <10%.
Similar to other Type Ibc SNe, such as 2005bf, 2006aj and 2007gr, we observed
significant polarization corresponding to the spectral features of Ca II, He I,
Mg I, Fe II and, possibly, O I 7774, about a close-to-spherically-symmetric
photosphere. We introduce a new plot showing the chemically distinct line
forming regions in the ejecta and comment on the apparent ubiquity of highly
polarized high-velocity Ca II features in Type Ibc SNe. The polarization angle
of Ca II IR triplet was significantly different, at both epochs, to those of
the other species, suggesting high-velocity Ca II forms in a separate part of
the ejecta. The apparent structure in the outer layers of SN 2008D has
implications for the interpretation of the early-time X-ray emission associated
with shock break-out. (abridged)
