As Election Day approaches, prospective voters may still have questions about which candidates are best fit to tackle issues important to them.

One issue on the mind of the San Diego City College community is that of civil rights and inequality, with 45.6% of respondents to the City College Community Agenda survey citing it as an issue they wanted to hear candidates address.

In the surveys, which are still available in both English and Spanish, some of the respondents took the additional step of providing questions and comments to specify what they wanted to hear.

Marketing and business major Genesis Martinez wanted to hear more from candidates about protecting those closest to them who identify as LGBTQ+.

“It’s just so I can make sure my friends are safe when they’re just walking around,” Martinez said to City Times in September. “Because nowadays, since we’re all college students, they like to go out and just walk around the city or the town.”

To address Martinez and other community members’ questions and provide insight into candidates’ plans to address civil rights and inequality, City Time Media analyzed statements made during debates, forums and speeches by candidates for U.S. President (Democrat and Republican parties, Green party), U.S. Senator, San Diego Mayor and San Diego City Council Districts 3 and 9.

On the app? Can’t see the graphics below? Click here.

Editor’s note: As of March 23, 2023, the Associated Press Stylebook, which serves as the primary style guide for City Times Media, was updated to use LGBTQ+ “in all references for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer and/or questioning.”