La Opinion, Telemundo/KVEA-TV 52 & Willie C. Velasquez Institute Collaborate On Mayoral Poll.

With less than one week to go before Los Angeles residents vote to elect a new mayor, La Opinion; Telemundo/KVEA-TV, Channel 52; and the Willie C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI), are preparing to release the results of their citywide poll examining the public’s views on the election.

For the first time, Los Angeles voters can choose between two prominent Hispanic candidates among the top six that are running to replace Mayor Richard Riordan.

“This is especially relevant in today’s world when Los Angeles is close to being 45 percent Hispanic. The fact that there are two Latino candidates vying for the top position in the city makes this race particularly interesting,” said Monica Lozano, La Opinion’s president and chief operating officer.

Antonio Gonzalez, president of the Willie C. Velasquez Institute, agreed: “With 22 percent of the registered voters in Los Angeles, it’s important that we measure the opinions and tendencies of Latino voters. This will be decisive in the mayoral elections.”

The significance of the current election is echoed by Fernando Lopez, vice president and general manager of KVEA-TV, Channel 52: “This race could turn out to be a historical one for our community and a pivotal turning point for our city. We are pleased to join forces with La Opinion and WCVI in our commitment to ensuring the voice of our community is heard by the candidates.”

The questionnaire contains 21 questions and is divided into two parts. The first part consists of questions on voter attitudes and mayoral preferences, while the second section includes questions regarding the principal issues affecting residents such as education, public safety and economic development.

The survey will be based on 800 interviews of registered voters with an over sample for Latino voters in the city of Los Angeles. With a total Latino sample size of 400, the La Opinion, KVEA-TV, WCVI poll is the most accurate measurement of Latino voter preference.

“I am very pleased that we’ve been able to collaborate with KVEA-TV and WCVI on such an important civic initiative,” concluded Lozano. “The possibility of electing a Hispanic mayor will be of historic significance for this city.”

The results of this poll will be made public April 4. La Opinion will publish the results in the April 4 edition, while KVEA-TV, Channel 52 will broadcast the results over a three-day period beginning with the Wednesday evening newscast and continuing on Thursday and Friday, April 5 and 6.