Welcome to The Election Beat, a weekly newsletter bringing you news and information about the election and uplifting the voices of readers like you.
Hola Boyle Heights,
I’m sure by now you’ve heard our Council District 14 candidate forum is happening today. Last week, we announced it was rescheduled after candidate Ysabel Jurado tested positive for COVID-19. We hope you can make it, and if you can’t, you can watch it here.
Now let’s get back to business.
The match between Kevin de Leon and Jurado is arguably the most closely-watched City Council race, but if you live in Boyle Heights and East L.A., there’s other races you should know about.
Let’s look at California Assembly Districts 52 and 54, which encompass most of the Eastside.
Assembly District 52
The candidates: Women’s rights advisor and former L.A. Public Works commissioner Jessica Caloza will face off against Franky Carrillo, a justice advocate and senior policy advisor for the Los Angeles Innocence Project.
The neighborhoods: Unincorporated East Los Angeles and a large swath of Glendale, as well as the neighborhoods of Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Mount Washington and Echo Park.
The issues: Caloza prioritizes affordable housing, education and reproductive rights. The candidate, a renter, says she also wants to address the state’s “affordability crisis” by advocating for rent control, fair wages and union jobs.
Carrillo wants to improve local schools, tackle homelessness, expand healthcare access and reform the justice system that failed him when he was wrongfully convicted of murder as a teen.
Read more by our reporter Elgin Nelson>>
Assembly District 54
The candidates: John Yi, executive director of Los Angeles Walks, will go against Mark Gonzalez, the district director for Assembly District 54 incumbent Miguel Santiago.
The neighborhoods: Boyle Heights, Westlake, Koreatown, Pico-Union and Chinatown, plus the cities of Vernon, Montebello and Commerce.
The issues: Yi’s stands behind rent protection, public transit infrastructure and safety, and plans to support multigenerational families and senior citizens in the district.
Gonzalez supports raising wages for working families, hopes to tackle the issues of affordable housing and homelessness, and believes in healthcare for all.
Read more by our reporters Andrew Lopez and Elgin Nelson>>
More Election News
Experts weigh in on immigration issues ahead of presidential election: While Kamala Harris and Donald Trump share similar views on border enforcement and asylum, they differ on providing protections for undocumented immigrants. Four immigration experts provide insight on the candidates’ immigration stance and what these administrations could mean for communities like Boyle Heights. (Boyle Heights Beat)
Presidential candidates’ views on foreign policy: Harris and Trump agree that the Israel-Hamas war must end. But they differ on how that should happen. So how do they compare on policies relating to Latin America, Ukraine and Russia or China? Here’s a breakdown. (L.A. Times)
Measure A: L.A. County voters face huge decision on homeless services funding: Funding for much of the county’s homeless services will expire in 2027. Officials and service providers worry that would gut the county’s homeless response system, while some critics wonder whether putting more money into existing programs is the right approach. Will voters decide to double the county’s quarter-cent homelessness sales tax to help alleviate the crisis? There’s much at stake. (CalMatters)
Community Voices
Valerie Ozeta, 60, a retired teacher from Eagle Rock says she’d like to see more efforts to bring affordable housing and rent control to the area.
“I think there’s some very serious issues with working people that can’t afford to live in our area… The tiny homes are a good start, but there’s a long way to go.”
Quick Tips
Next key date: Oct. 21 is the last day to register online to vote. You can do so by visiting registertovote.ca.gov.
Ballot drop boxes are now open: Want to vote early? Many libraries have ballot boxes right out front. You can also use this locator to find an L.A. County ballot drop box near you.
Who’s funding campaigns?: Did you know that you can find out who contributed to a candidate or a campaign in L.A.? One way is via the L.A. City Ethics Commission’s handy-dandy public data portal.
Community Events
TODAY: Don’t miss our Council District 14 candidate forum
When: 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9
Where: Dolores Mission Catholic Church, 171 S Gless St., Los Angeles, 90033
We’ll be livestreaming here.
Didn’t RSVP? That’s OK, you can walk in and still submit questions for the candidates. We’re also asking candidates questions provided by residents in our Election Beat survey. See survey results here.
Also, save the date:
- Friday, Oct. 18: VoterChat will be a place to ballot cram together. Have questions? Boyle Heights Beat, LAist and CalMatters reporters will help you navigate your voter game plan. RSVP here.
Stay up to date with our community events.
¡Hasta luego, Boyle Heights!
Jessica Perez
Senior Editor
