No Ballot, Please

Why didn�t you vote?

Comments (0) Thursday, May 19 2005

“The negative TV ads are what campaigning has come to. I never heard any reason to vote for either except the regular cliché lines that don’t have any substance behind them. The mayor should revive the city. I don’t think Hahn has done that. And I don’t like either of the candidates. Why give a vote to something I don’t agree with?”

—Ryan Gillette, 22,
is a USC senior studying economics
and lives in Pacific Palisades

“I feel like there is negative campaigning in all politics. We all search for the honest politicians, but we haven’t found one yet. Even though I live in L.A., I don’t feel like it is my home.

“I think it is our duty to vote. We can’t complain if we aren’t willing to try to change things. But I don’t know enough about what the candidates will offer. I see signs everywhere, but I don’t know what they mean.”

—Thai Detrant, 22,
is a chocolatier and
lives in Koreatown

“The candidates don’t have that larger-than-life persona. The candidates didn’t strike me as being great. Hahn had his chance. I don’t think he has brought much business to L.A. We need a progressive mayor who will bring more business to L.A. People want change.

“I voted in the governor’s race. It is more important than the mayor’s race. L.A. is the same under Riordan, Hahn or Bradley. I don’t see any great difference over the years on how things have been operating. It doesn’t seem to matter one way or the other.

“I was born and raised in the Valley. I voted for secession. Hahn did his due diligence. He came in and got what he wanted and left. He wasn’t representing the Valley. Hahn had the opportunity to step up and show more support for the Valley, and he really hasn’t been there.”

—Anthony Rodriguez, 32,
is a media supervisor and
lives in Van Nuys

“Politicians don’t do enough for the people. Once they get elected — whatever they promised — you don’t get that. It goes back to them being politicians first and people last. We need someone more in tune. We need more young politicians.”

—Robert Hill, 64,
is a security officer and
lives in Baldwin Hills.