Mayor of Los Angeles, California

The mayor of the City of Los Angeles is the official head and chief executive officer of Los Angeles. The officeholder is elected for a four-year term and is limited to serving no more than two terms. (Under the Constitution of California, all judicial, school, county and city offices are nonpartisan.)

Forty-two men and one woman have been mayor since 1850, when California became a state following the American Conquest of California. Between 1781 and the conquest, Californios, or native-born residents of the Mexican territory, served as ''alcalde,'' equivalent to ''mayor.'' Karen Bass has been the mayor since taking office on December 12, 2022.

Duties and powers

Los Angeles has a council form of government, giving the mayor the position of chief executive of the city. The mayor appoints general managers and commissioners, removes officials from city posts, and proposes a yearly budget. Most of the mayor's appointments and proposals are subject to approval by the City Council. The mayor has the power to veto or to approve certain City Council actions.

The organization of the mayor's office changes with administration, but is almost always governed by a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, director of communications, and several deputy mayors. Each mayor organizes their office into different offices, usually containing the Los Angeles Housing Team, Los Angeles Business Team, International Trade Office, Mayor's Volunteer Corps, and Office of Immigrant Affairs, among other divisions.

The mayor has an office in the Los Angeles City Hall and resides at the mayor's mansion, Getty House, located in Windsor Square. As of 2017, the mayor received a salary of $248,141.

Election

The mayor is elected in citywide election. Elections follow a two-round system. The first round of the election is called the primary election. The candidate receiving a majority of the vote in the primary is elected outright. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election, called the general election. The city charter allows for write-in candidates for the primary election, but not for the runoff in the general election. The mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two consecutive terms. The office of mayor is officially nonpartisan by state law, although most mayoral candidates identify a party preference.

Elections for mayor were held in odd-numbered years from 1909 until 2013. In October 2014, the Los Angeles City Council recommended consolidating city elections with gubernatorial and presidential elections in even-numbered years in an effort to increase turnout. On March 3, 2015, voters passed a charter amendment to extend the term of the mayor elected in 2017 to five and a half years. From 2022 and onward, mayoral elections will be consolidated with the statewide gubernatorial elections held every four years.

The most recent election was held in November 2022. Politician Karen Bass defeated businessman Rick Caruso.

Succession

In the case of an office vacancy, the city council has a choice to appoint a new mayor or to hold a special election. The replacement, if appointed, will serve until the next regularly scheduled primary for a city general election. If any portion remains on the term, a special election will be held to elect a candidate to serve the remainder of the term.

The mayor is subject to recall by registered voters if at least 15 percent of eligible voters sign a recall petition within 120 days of the first day of circulation. If the petition is successful, a special election is held asking whether the incumbent should be removed and who among a list of candidates should replace the incumbent. If the recall is successful, the replacement candidate with the majority of votes succeeds the ousted incumbent. If no replacement candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special runoff election is held between the top two candidates.

List of mayors of Los Angeles

As of , 42 men have been mayor or ''alcalde'' since the Spanish days. Six served non-consecutive terms, the first of which began in 1854 and the last of which ended in 1921. Those who served non-consecutive terms are counted just once. Stephen Clark Foster was appointed mayor in 1848 before California statehood and the city's incorporation.

The longest length of service was that of Tom Bradley (twenty years). Not counting city council presidents who served briefly as acting mayors, the shortest term was that of William Stephens, for less than two weeks after Arthur Cyprian Harper resigned. Two mayors died in office: Henry Mellus and Frederick A. MacDougall.

As for ethnic or national background, four Latinos have been mayor since incorporation: Antonio F. Coronel, Cristóbal Aguilar, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Eric Garcetti. Manuel Requena was acting mayor post-statehood in his role as city council president. Tom Bradley, the city's longest-serving mayor, was the only African American. Two French Canadians were in the office — Damien Marchesseault and Prudent Beaudry.

This list includes three presidents of the City Council who served as acting mayor because of a vacancy in the office but who were not officially appointed as mayor. Council presidents are not included in the count of mayors.

† Council presidents who temporarily served as acting mayor in case of a vacancy but were not officially appointed to the position are not included in the count of mayors.

Living former mayors

As of , four former mayors of Los Angeles were alive, the oldest being Richard J. Riordan (1993–2001, born 1930). The youngest being Eric Garcetti (2013-2022, born 1971). The most recent to die was Thomas Bradley (1973–1993), on September 29, 1998.

See also

* History of Los Angeles
* Timeline of Los Angeles

Notes

* Stephen Clark Foster previously served as mayor of Los Angeles under United States military rule prior to official incorporation.
* On January 13, 1855, Stephen Clark Foster resigned as mayor to lead a lynch mob. After the lynching, Foster was reelected as mayor in a special election and returned to office for the remainder of his term.
* In cases where the same person served non-consecutive terms as mayor, the city only counts one mayoralty.
* On September 22, 1856, Stephen Clark Foster resigned as mayor to attend to the executorship of the estate of his brother-in-law. City Council president Manuel Requena served as acting mayor until a special election could be held. Requena's term as acting mayor is not counted as an official mayoralty.
* Manuel Requena previously served two terms as Alcalde of Los Angeles under Independent Mexican rule prior to California statehood in the United States.
* On December 26, 1860, Henry Mellus died in office. City Council president Wallace Woodworth served as acting mayor until a special election could be held. Woodworth's term as acting mayor is not counted as an official mayoralty.
* On May 8, 1867, Damien Marchesseault assumed the office of mayor, interrupting the term of Cristóbal Aguilar. After three months, Marchesseault was deposed and Aguilar was restored as mayor.
* On November 16, 1878, Frederick A. MacDougal died in office. Bernard Cohn was appointed as mayor until a special election could be held.
* John Bryson's term lasted a little over two months before he was legislated out of service with the adoption of a new city charter.
* City Council president William Hartshorn Bonsall served as acting mayor for a week during the vacancy between the terms of Henry T. Hazard and Thomas E. Rowan. Bonsall's term as acting mayor is not counted as an official mayoralty.
* On March 11, 1909, Arthur Harper was forced to resign in the wake of a recall drive. William Stephens was appointed mayor for less than two weeks until a new election could be held.
* On September 2, 1916, Charles Sebastian resigned as mayor amid personal scandal. Frederick Woodman was appointed to finish the balance of Sebastian's term and later was elected to a full term in his own right.
* On September 16, 1938, Frank Shaw was successfully recalled from office amid allegations of corruption. Fletcher Bowron was elected to take Shaw's place.
* Due to a change in the city's election calendar to align mayoral elections with statewide elections, Garcetti's second term was five years and six months instead of the usual four years.

References

External links

Official City of Los Angeles : Office of Mayor website

City of Los Angeles Officials Database

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayor Of Los Angeles, California

Government of Los Angeles
Mayors
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-related lists
Politicians from Greater Los Angeles
1850 establishments in California