With just days to go in this election season, one key group has been drawing a lot of attention - Latinx voters. And their impact on elections is particularly important here in California, given that they make up the state’s largest ethnic group. To learn more about efforts to appeal to this influential and diverse population, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Dora Westerlund, director of the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation, Jesse Rojas, CEO of The Redd Group, a business and political consulting firm in Bakersfield, Adriana Saldivar, Fresno-based program manager for the Latino Community Foundation, and Ivy Cargile, assistant professor of political science at California State University, Bakersfield.
This year, Valley Public Radio is doing elections coverage differently. We’re asking listeners and residents, what do you want candidates to talk about? Are you concerned about healthcare, housing, or homelessness?We put out a survey from July through October to find out. More than 150 residents throughout the San Joaquin Valley took the survey.The most concerning issue for many is how the economy will recover from COVID-19. Others identified housing and homelessness in local communities as a major issue; others were most concerned for the environment. As we interview candidates and continue our election coverage, we’ll keep these responses in mind. You can keep up with our coverage on this page, or send questions about our process to Laura Tsutsui at ltsutsui@kvpr.org.
What Politicians Get Wrong About Latinx Voters
Ivy Cargile, Jesse Rojas, Dora Westerlund and Adriana Saldivar
