2026 CANDIDATE SURVEY
Hugo Soto-Martinez
Candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 13
To help foster greater discussion about reforming City Hall, we asked City of LA candidates to participate in a six question survey. Half of the questions seek general feedback, and the rest are issue specific.
Please note survey responses, candidate information, and website links are provided for informational/educational purposes only. Fair Rep LA is presenting these responses as submitted without edit, evaluation, or commentary. Fair Rep LA does not endorse, support, or oppose candidates or their responses in any way.
Survey Info:
-
Answers: Respondents were told that questions could be answered in 1-2 sentences, and that while additional context was welcome, the form had a 1,250 character limit for each question (approximately 200 words).
-
Resource Document: Additional background information was provided via a resource document.
-
Participation: Surveys were sent to all City of LA candidates qualified to appear on the ballot. This is a very busy time for candidates, so we appreciate everyone who made time to respond. Please avoid reading too much into a candidate’s lack of participation. We respect the limited bandwidth campaigns have, and it's possible that our request(s) may have been lost in their inbox.
-
Background: The City of Los Angeles is undergoing the first comprehensive review of our city’s governance structure in 27 years. The Charter Reform Commission recently transmitted a report containing over 60 recommendations to the City Council, who will soon be deciding what will be sent to the November ballot for potential approval by voters.
One of the recommendations I most strongly support is providing the City Council with legislative authority over police policy. Public safety policy should be shaped through a transparent democratic process with accountability to the communities we represent. Strengthening civilian oversight and ensuring elected representatives have a meaningful role in policymaking is an important step toward rebuilding public trust.
I have concerns about recommendations that place matters in the City Charter that could be more appropriately addressed through the Administrative Code. The Charter should be reserved for the city’s foundational structure, core powers, and enduring democratic safeguards — not provisions that may require regular updates or operational flexibility. Embedding overly specific administrative matters in the Charter can make governance less responsive and unnecessarily difficult to adapt over time.
Ensuring all residents of the City of LA have the right to vote in local elections. If you live in the city, contribute to the city, raise your family in the city, and are impacted by the decisions made in the city — you deserve a voice in the city.
My team and I are still reviewing this recommendation closely. I understand the potential benefits of Ranked Choice Voting, including increasing voter participation in decisive elections and reducing the cost of low-turnout runoff elections. At the same time, any transition would need to include significant voter education and outreach to avoid confusion and ensure the process remains accessible and understandable for all Angelenos.
Yes, I support allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections. Young people are directly impacted by decisions made by local government and school boards, and expanding civic participation at an earlier age can help build lifelong engagement in our democracy.