Mayor of Los Angeles


The Mayor of the City of Los Angeles is the official head and chief executive officer of Los Angeles, California, United States. The officeholder is elected for a four-year term and limited to serving no more than two terms. Under the Constitution of California, all judicial, school, county and city offices, including those of chartered cities, are nonpartisan. Eric Garcetti has been the city's 42nd and current mayor since 2013.

Duties and powers

Los Angeles has a strong mayor–council form of government, giving the mayor the position of chief executive of the city. The mayor is given the authority to appoint general managers and commissioners, remove officials from city posts, and is required to propose a budget each year. Most of the mayor's appointments and proposals are subject to approval by the Los Angeles City Council, but the mayor has the power of veto or approval of City Council legislation.
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 also organizes his 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 March 2017. Incumbent mayor Eric Garcetti was re-elected for a second term.

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 individuals have served as mayor of Los Angeles since its incorporation as a city in the state of California. Six individuals 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 only counted once in the official count of mayoralties. Stephen Clark Foster was also appointed as Mayor of Los Angeles in 1848 prior to California statehood and official incorporation of the city.
The longest term was that of Tom Bradley, who served for 20 years over five terms prior to the establishment of successive term limits. The shortest term, not counting city council presidents serving as acting mayor, was that of William Stephens, who was appointed to serve for less than two weeks after Arthur Cyprian Harper resigned from office. Two mayors died in office: Henry Mellus and Frederick A. MacDougall. Three Hispanics have served as mayor since incorporation: Antonio F. Coronel, Cristobal Aguilar, and Antonio Villaraigosa. Many other Hispanics served as mayor prior to California joining the United States including Manuel Requena, who also briefly served as acting mayor post-statehood in his role as city council president. Tom Bradley is the only African American to have served as mayor, but was the city's longest-serving mayor. Two French Canadians have served as mayor, including Damien Marchesseault, who served for three distinct periods, and Prudent Beaudry.
This list includes three Presidents of the City Council who served as Acting Mayor due to a vacancy in the office of the mayor but who were not officially appointed as mayor. The Council Presidents are not included in the count of mayors.
, 5th officeholder, was also appointed mayor in 1848 prior to the city's official incorporation.
, 13th officeholder, was the second French-Canadian in the office, the first being Damien Marchesseault.
, 23rd officeholder, served three separate terms.
, 24th officeholder, was instrumental in developing the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
mayor to date.
#MayorTerm startTerm endTerms Party
Alpheus P. HodgesJuly 1, 1850May 7, 18511
Benjamin Davis WilsonMay 7, 1851May 4, 18521
John G. NicholsMay 4, 1852May 3, 18531Democratic
Antonio F. CoronelMay 3, 1853May 4, 18541Democratic
Stephen C. Foster May 4, 1854January 13, 1855Democratic
January 13, 1855January 25, 1855
Stephen C. Foster January 25, 1855May 9, 1855Democratic
Dr. Thomas FosterMay 9, 1855May 7, 18561Democratic
Stephen C. Foster May 7, 1856September 22, 1856Democratic
Manuel Requena† September 22, 1856October 4, 1856Republican
John G. Nichols October 4, 1856May 9, 1859Democratic
Damien MarchesseaultMay 9, 1859May 9, 18601Democratic
Henry MellusMay 9, 1860December 26, 1860Democratic
Wallace Woodworth†December 26, 1860January 7, 1861Democratic
Damien Marchesseault January 7, 1861May 6, 1865Democratic
Jose MascarelMay 5, 1865May 10, 18661Republican
Cristóbal AguilarMay 10, 1866May 8, 18671Democratic
Damien Marchesseault May 8, 1867August 8, 1867Democratic
Cristóbal Aguilar August 8, 1867December 7, 18681Democratic
Joel TurnerDecember 9, 1868December 9, 18702Democratic
Cristóbal Aguilar December 9, 1870December 5, 18722Democratic
James R. TobermanDecember 5, 1872December 18, 18742Democratic
Prudent BeaudryDecember 18, 1874December 8, 18762
Frederick A. MacDougallDecember 8, 1876November 16, 18782Democratic
November 16, 1878November 21, 1878
Bernard CohnNovember 21, 1878December 5, 1878Democratic
James R. Toberman December 5, 1878December 9, 18824Democratic
Cameron E. ThomDecember 9, 1882December 9, 18842Democratic
Edward F. SpenceDecember 9, 1884December 14, 18862Republican
William H. WorkmanDecember 14, 1886December 10, 18882Democratic
John BrysonDecember 10, 1888February 25, 18891Democratic
Henry T. HazardFebruary 25, 1889December 5, 18922Republican
William H. Bonsall†December 5, 1892December 12, 1892Republican
Thomas E. RowanDecember 12, 1892December 12, 18941Democratic
Frank RaderDecember 12, 1894December 16, 18961Republican
Meredith P. SnyderDecember 16, 1896December 15, 18981Democratic
Fred EatonDecember 15, 1898December 12, 19001Republican
Meredith P. Snyder December 12, 1900December 8, 19042Democratic
Owen McAleerDecember 8, 1904December 13, 19061Republican
Arthur C. HarperDecember 13, 1906March 11, 1909Democratic
William D. StephensMarch 15, 1909March 26, 1909Republican
George AlexanderMarch 26, 1909July 1, 1913Democratic
Henry R. RoseJuly 1, 1913July 1, 19151Republican
Charles E. SebastianJuly 1, 1915September 2, 1916Democratic
Frederick T. WoodmanSeptember 5, 1916July 1, 1919Republican
Meredith P. Snyder July 1, 1919July 1, 19211Democratic
George E. CryerJuly 1, 1921July 1, 19293Republican
John C. PorterJuly 1, 1929July 1, 19331Democratic
Frank L. ShawJuly 1, 1933September 26, 1938Republican
Fletcher BowronSeptember 26, 1938July 1, 1953Republican
C. Norris PoulsonJuly 1, 1953July 1, 19612Republican
Samuel W. YortyJuly 1, 1961July 1, 19733Democratic
Thomas BradleyJuly 1, 1973July 1, 19935Democratic
Richard J. RiordanJuly 1, 1993July 1, 20012Republican
James K. HahnJuly 1, 2001July 1, 20051Democratic
Antonio VillaraigosaJuly 1, 2005July 1, 20132Democratic
Eric GarcettiJuly 1, 2013incumbent2Democratic

† 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 of Los Angeles

As of, three former Mayors of Los Angeles were alive, the oldest being Richard J. Riordan. The most recent mayor to die was Thomas Bradley, on September 29, 1998.
NameMayoral termDate of birth
Richard J. Riordan1993–2001
James K. Hahn2001–2005
Antonio Villaraigosa2005–2013