2024 is shaping up to be a big year for local and state elections in California. In Los Angeles alone there are 17 congressional, five state Senate and 24 Assembly races. Of these, the primary for District 52 Assembly Member, which includes Highland Park, Eagle Rock and more will be held March 5 to decide which two of the 10 current Democratic candidates will appear on the ballot in November.
The District 14 City Council member election, which features incumbent Kevin De León against seven competitors, will also be held March 5. The general elections for all three of these races will be held Nov. 5, 2024.
Ahead of these elections, Northeast LA residents discussed their voting habits and important issues.
Luis Lopez: 49 years old, mechanic and owner of an automotive repair shop, Atwater Village 13th District resident since 2010, registered Independent
Though Lopez is unable to vote in District 14, he said he is keeping tabs on the election. He also said he is weary of any candidates sponsored by the Democratic Socialists of America after their behavior campaigning for current District 13 council member Hugo Soto-Martínez. Lopez, therefore is hoping Ysabel Jurado does not win.
“I just don’t see eye to eye with the way they see the vision of LA,” Lopez said.
He is planning to vote in the Assembly District 52 election, which is currently represented by Democrat Wendy Carillo, who is also running for District 14 Councilmember, even after a recently publicized DUI in November.
Lopez said he wants a realistic candidate who understands the district, is from the district, and understands the difficulty it takes to accomplish things during a term.
“I work here, and I live just around the block, so this is my area,” Lopez said. “I can go weeks without leaving my neighborhood. So neighborhood issues tend to be a lot more important to me.”
Lopez said he is primarily considering two candidates for their experience and moderate views: Democrat David Girón, an environmental policy advisor and Democrat Ari Ruiz, who is a housing advocate, and a former member of city and county commissions.
After receiving a campaign email from Ruiz that didn’t include Atwater Village, Lopez said he replied telling Ruiz if he wants to run for office, he should know what neighborhoods he is representing. Following this interaction, Lopez said Ruiz came to his shop, readily answering all of Lopez’s questions and leaving a good enough impression that Lopez donated to his campaign.
Alexa Terry: 25 years old, employee at Crush and Touch on York, Thai Town/East Hollywood resident for over 2 years, registered Democrat
Terry said she intends to vote for Council District 14 seat, but is unsure yet who she will vote for. Her primary concern, she said, is government corruption, which she believes is more present than ever.
“In the light of everything that’s been happening with Palestinians, it just goes to show how many politicians are bought by money,” Terry said.
Terry said she also wants a politician who will address District 14’s homeless population and work towards making housing more affordable.
“It’s very values-based for me, I care for the community and the people around it,” she said.
Ellyn Canfield: 39 years old, works in the sports industry, recently moved to Highland Park, registered Democrat (not yet registered in California)
Canfield said she previously held the position of Director of Citywide Events for Bill de Blasio, Democratic Mayor of New York City from 2014-2021.
“Having worked in local politics, I think local elections are what make so much difference and impact and are often won or lost by a really small margin of votes,” Canfield said.
Though she is still educating herself on the local issues, she said funding for schools and libraries is most important to her.
Jamie Tijerina: scientific researcher at CalTech, president of Highland Park Heritage Trust, born and raised Garvanza Resident, registered Democrat
Tijerina said she votes as she believes it is the most accessible and impactful civic activity. She said she will be voting for Kevin de León, because she believes he is getting the job done. Despite de León’s recent controversy, Tijerina said she respected his response and his continued effort to do the right thing.
Tijerina said an important issue for her is getting historically underserved communities like Garvanza and Highland Park the resources they need.
“[Garvanza is] one of the more complicated gardens to be planted in, to grow up in,” Tijerina said. “It’s a great place, but sometimes things don’t go to plan because your family doesn’t have access to things, and you don’t know where to find things, or the resources that you need simply don’t exist.”
From 2016-2019, Tijerina said she held a seat as a Highland Park neighborhood council member, which led her to the Heritage Trust. There, she said she is able to focus on providing education for neighborhood residents, like how to navigate city services.
Yvonne Chavez: 41 years old, special needs therapist, activist for the wrongfully convicted, born and raised in Highland Park, registered Independent
Chavez said she is advocating for “system-impacted” candidates, or candidates who have had previous run ins with the justice system. Because of this she is advocating for both Ysabel Jurado and Franky Carillo, who was wrongfully incarcerated for 20 years.
Most important to Chavez, she said, is voting for someone who can help free her brother Antonio who has been incarcerated for 28 years, despite his factual innocence. She said the criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform and that she feels this issue is often forgotten in local politics.
*All opinions expressed belong solely to the individual and do not reflect the values of any affiliated organization.*
Contact Paige Thomas at pthomas2@oxy.edu
