Faces of Los Angeles Voters

With just 38 days to the election, and the first presidential debate already behind us, we wanted to cut through the political chatter and hear from prospective voters about the issues driving their decisions. So we sent our reporters to interview and photograph people in 13 communities throughout the greater Los Angeles area. We set out to identify the most pressing problems for voters, and learn more about their aspirations and dreams for the country. In the following 25 profiles, you'll find tremendous diversity of thought among residents of our sprawling metropolis.

A few common themes: many voters expressed their disappointment with the divisive, racially charged rhetoric dominating this election cycle. Young people and parents alike raised concerns about the quality of public schools and the rising cost of higher education. Most people, regardless of their choice in candidate, said they wanted to ensure a brighter, more stable future for their families and communities.

We hope you'll enjoy learning about the many stories and faces behind the 2016 election.

- Maral Tavitian
Special Projects Editor
September 30, 2016

Ruben Gonzales

Alhambra

Savath Lieu

Alhambra
Age: 50

Mary Zhang

Alhambra

Marlon Trigueros

Boyle Heights
Age: 27

Roberto Díaz

Boyle Heights
Age: 32

Joey Apodaca

Boyle Heights
Age: 34

Louie Palomino

Commerce

Douglas Brown

Compton
Age: 56

James Jacobs

Compton

Susan De Valle

Compton
Age: 55

Desmond Conner

Glendale
Age: 20

Mario Galicia

Glendale

Bill Moore

Inglewood
Age: 70

Recardo McCan

Inglewood
Age: 63

Gloria Eaton-Breaux

Leimert Park
Age: 47

Jeffery Casserly

Koreatown
Age: 55

Tamara French and Daniel Stitt

Northridge
Age: 25 and 22

Silverio Pelayo

Pacoima

Alfredo Mejia

Pico Rivera

Richard Cabrera

Pico Rivera
Age: 37

Kari Mans

San Marino
Age: 36

Rosina Franco

San Marino
Age: 49


Where are the voters in this project from?

Map by Taylor Elliott

Red denotes areas with a Hispanic majority; Yellow denotes areas with an African-American majority; Blue denotes areas with an Asian majority. Click on an area to find out more about its demographics. (Source: FactFinder)


Percentage of registered voters, broken down by ethnicity and gender

Graphic by Isabella Shary / Source: U.S. Census Bureau