CHICAGO — With record turnout among Latino voters across the country, DNAinfo reporters took to the streets Tuesday to ask Chicago's voters: "Who are voting for, and why?"
Here are their answers, in their own words.
Trump's comments 'definitely influenced my vote'
Oscar Almanza, a 24-year-old Pilsen resident, is voting for Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Oscar Almanza, who was voting at Cooper Elementary in Pilsen, said he believes Hillary Clinton is more qualified to be president than Donald Trump. Trump's commentary on Mexican immigrants offended his immigrant parents, Almanza said.
"I don't think someone like [Trump] should be in charge of the free world," the 24-year-old Pilsen resident said. "Whether it's Muslims, whether it's Hispanics, [his comments] definitely influenced my vote."
Voting for Trump: 'I think it should be a man'
Joseph Rodriguez, 66, lives in Humboldt Park and is voting for Donald Trump. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Joseph Rodriguez, a 66-year-old Humboldt Park resident, said he's voting for Trump at the polls. Rodriguez was born in Puerto Rico and has lived in Humboldt Park for the last 50 years.
"I wanted to vote for Donald Trump. I think he's going to be a good president," Rodriguez said. "...Hillary is OK but I decided to give him my vote instead. I think it should be a man. I don't know why. It's always been a man."
First time voter hopes Hillary 'keeps her word'
Pilsen resident Ruby Jimenez, 18, is voting for Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Eligible to vote for the first time, 18-year-old Ruby Jimenez said that Trump does have some positive policies, but said she opposes his views on Mexican immigrants. Kicking off his campaign in June 2015, Trump said: "When Mexico sends it people, they're not sending their best. ... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists."
Jimenez, a UIC student and Juarez graduate, took Trump's statement "to heart" and ultimately cast a ballot for Clinton on Tuesday.
"My family is a family of immigrants and I don't like some of the statements he's said about us," said the Pilsen resident. "We're a hard-working class. ... I voted for Hillary in hopes that she keeps her word."
Trump 'doesn't like Spanish people'
Carmen Morales, 75, is voting for Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Casting her vote at Chopin School in Humboldt Park, 75-year-old Carmen Morales said Trump "doesn't like Spanish people." Morales was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago when she was 19.
"Our president cannot be like that," Morales said. "I think Hillary is the best person."
Trump 'has dementia'
Voting in Humboldt Park, Nick Lorenzo said he doesn't want the American people to elect Trump.
"We don't want Trump to be president. He's got dementia," said Lorenzo, who was born in Puerto Rico.
Voting for Hillary: Let's change way 'society treats women'
Natasha Fort, 31, is voting for Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Natasha Fort, a 31-year-old Humboldt Park resident, said she is passionate about feminist and Civil Rights issues and is voting for Clinton. "I want to denormalize the way our society treats women. I want to be seen as actual citizens."
Between a businessman and someone 'always under federal investigation'
Andres Garcia, 30, who has lived in Humboldt Park for 20 years, said he was half-hearted about both candidates.
"There's a lot of unfairness going on and a lot of corruption," Garcia said. "We're in between a businessman and someone who is always under federal investigation."
Hillary 'has experience'
Hector Valazquez, 22, was born and raised in Humboldt Park and is voting for Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Hector Velazquez, 22, was born and raised in Humboldt Park and is voting for Clinton.
"Trump makes valid points but the way he says them is not right," Valazquez said. "I feel very strongly about Hillary. She has experience running our country."
Mind isn't made up
Pablo Ramirez, 22, lives in Humboldt Park. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
On the way into his polling place in Humboldt Park, 22-year-old Pablo Ramirez said he still wasn't sure who he would be voting for for president. He opposes Trump, but wasn't "enthusiastic" about a Clinton presidency because she "says one thing and does another."
"Our country needs someone who can make up their mind," said Ramirez, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. "My biggest thing is stopping Trump from getting in power."
Trump: 'some good ideas, no experience'
Marino Hernandez, 80, says Donald Trump "has some good ideas, but most of his ideas are bad and he has no experience." @DNAinfoCHI pic.twitter.com/p3xwVGbYYz
— Mina Bloom (@mina_bloom_) November 8, 2016
Voting for people who can't
Voting with her daughter at the Little Village Public Library on Tuesday morning, Maria Rodriguez said that her brother, mother and aunt applied for citizenship so they could vote in this year's election. Amid a divisive election season, thousands of new immigrant voters in Illinois took the steps to become a U.S. citizen, making them eligible to vote for the first time.
“I’m here to speak for the people that can’t vote," Rodriguez said. She is concerned for future generations in an election filled rhetoric of hate.
“My kids are biting their nails because they don’t know what’s going to happen,” Rodriguez said. “It’s for our children’s future."
'Year of the Latino voter'
Ald. George Cardenas (12th) is supporting Hillary Clinton. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Ald. George Cardenas, whose 12th Ward is 82 percent Hispanic, said Trump's comments on Mexican immigrants "woke [Latino] voters up."
"It's the year of the Latino voter," Cardenas said at Cafe Jumping Bean in Pilsen on Tuesday. "I think [Trump's comments] forced them to look in the mirror and say, 'Wow. He's talking about me. He's talking about somebody he thinks shouldn't be here. He's talking about my family member.' It's the rhetoric that we don't like."
Cardenas, a Democrat who was first elected in 2003, immigrated to Chicago from Mexico in 1978.
Tuesday turnout
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, before the evening voting rush, 296 ballots had been cast in the 25th Ward's 2nd precinct at Rudy Lozano Library in Pilsen. Last year, about 375 total ballots were cast, said Jesus Fraga, an election commission volunteer.
Chicago's 25th Ward is home to 54,500 residents, 56 percent of whom are Hispanic and 14 percent of whom are Asian. The ward is home to Pilsen, a historical point of entry for Mexican immigrants, and Chinatown.
As of 9 a.m., nearly 80 people had cast ballots at the Humboldt Park Library in the 26th Ward, which election volunteers said was "very high." About 66 percent of 26th Ward residents are Hispanic.
Smashing early voting records and leading to long lines Monday night, about 325,112 ballots were cast in Chicago during the early-voting period, according to James Allen, communications director for the Chicago Board of Elections. The old record was 260,000.
More than 62,000 ballots and additional grace-period registration ballots were also cast. A total of about 400,000 ballots have been cast before polls officially opened on Election Day, he said.
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