Can hard plastic mousepads cause static issues with optical sensors?

Yes, but it’s not the most common problem. Static from a hard plastic surface can make the sensor skip or jump, especially in dry winter air. More often, the glossy surface confuses the sensor by reflecting the LED light weirdly, causing cursor jitter or slowdown. Try dragging the mouse on plain paper first; if it smooths out, the pad is the problem, and a cloth pad usually fixes both.