List of mayors of Los Angeles
Then-Mayor Eric Garcetti (center) with his predecessors Antonio Villaraigosa (right) and James Hahn (left) in 2013.
The mayor of Los Angeles is the chief executive of the Government of Los Angeles as set in the city charter. The current officeholder, the 43rd in the sequence of regular mayors, is Karen Bass , a member of the Democratic Party , though the office has been nonpartisan since 1909.[ 1]
When Los Angeles was founded as a small town, a comisionado (Military Commissioner) was appointed before the title was changed to alcalde (Mayor) in 1786. Between 1841 and 1844, there were two mayors called the Jueces de Paz (Justices of Peace ). When the United States took control, the office was renamed to Mayor.[ 2]
The longest serving mayors have been Tom Bradley (1973–1993; 20 years), Fletcher Bowron (1938–1953; 14 years), Sam Yorty (1961–1973; 12 years), and Eric Garcetti (2013–2022; 9 years).[ 3] The shortest tenures, not counting Acting Mayors, were John Bryson (77 days), Bernard Cohn (14 days), and William Stephens (11 days).
Although the President of the Los Angeles City Council serves as acting mayor when the Mayor is out of the city, only five have served due to a vacancy: Manuel Requena (1855 and 1856), Wallace Woodworth (1860–1861), Bernard Cohn (1878), Niles Pease (1909), and Martin F. Betkouski (1916); only one, Cohn, ascended from Acting Mayor to Mayor.[ 4] Two Mayors have died during their terms: Henry Mellus and Frederick A. MacDougall .
Los Angeles has had five Latino mayors post-incorporation: Antonio F. Coronel , Manuel Requena , Cristobal Aguilar , Antonio Villaraigosa , and Eric Garcetti .[ 5] The city has also had two African-American mayors, Tom Bradley and Karen Bass . Two French-Canadian politicians, Damien Marchesseault and Prudent Beaudry , have served as Mayors.[ 6] The first woman to serve as Mayor is Karen Bass , who was elected in 2022 .[ 7]
Spanish era (1781–1821)
The office of Alcalde , the Mayor of El Pueblo de la Reina de los Ángeles , was elected annually, without the right to reelection for two years.[ 8] With the incomplete nature of records from the Spanish colonial period of Los Angeles , only the first year of 1781 is certain.[ 9] [ 10]
Comisionado
Alcalde
Name
Term in office
José Vanegas
1786–1788
José Sinova
1789–1790
Francisco Reyes
1790[ C]
Mariano Verdugo
1790–1793
José Vanegas
1792–1793
Francisco Reyes
1793–1795
José Vanegas
1796–1797
Manuel Arellanes
1797–1798
Guillermo Soto
1798–1799
Francisco Serrano
1799–1800
Joaquin Higuera
1800–1802
Mariano Verdugo
1802–1809
Francisco Avila
1810–1811
Manuel Gutierrez
1811–1812
Antonio Maria Lugo
1816–1819
Anastasio Avila
1819–1821
Notes
^ Féliz acted as the Chief Public Official during his term as Comisionado .
^ Soto assumed the responsibilities of alcalde during his term as Comisionado .
^ Removed from office for gambling in July.
Mexican era (1821–1848)
In 1821, Los Angeles came under Mexican rule, and the city continued having an alcalde .[ 11] The inaugural holder was Abel Stearns , an American trader who came to California in 1829 from Massachusetts .[ 12] [ 13]
First & Second Alcalde
In 1839, instead of one alcalde , two officials served as First and Second Alcalde .
1st Alcalde
2nd Alcalde
Term in office
Tiburcio Tapia
José Sepúlveda
1839–1840
Jueces de Paz (Justices of Peace)
In 1841, the office of alcalde was abolished, instead being replaced by two Jueces de Paz (Justice of the peace ).[ 14]
First & Second Alcalde
In 1844, the office of alcalde was restored, reverting to its 1839 posts.[ 14]
1st Alcalde
2nd Alcalde
Term in office
Manuel Requena
Tiburcio Tapia
1844–1845
Vicente Sanchez
Juan Sepúlveda
1845–1846
Juan Gallardo
José Sepúlveda
1846–1847
José Salazar
Enrique Avila
1847–1848
Ygnacio Palomares
José Sepúlveda
1848
American Territorial era (1848–1850)
Between the Interim government of California and California's statehood, the Mayor was appointed by the Governor of California in 1848 and was elected in 1850.
Notes
^ Foster resigned as alcalde on May 21, 1849; the remainder of the year, he served as prefecto (prefect).[ 15]
Post-incorporation (1850–present)
No.
Portrait
Name
Term in office
Length of service
Party affiliation[ a]
Election
Previous office
1
Alpheus P. Hodges (1821–1858; aged 37)
July 1, 1850 – May 7, 1851
340 days
Democratic
1850
None
2
Benjamin D. Wilson (1811–1878; aged 66)
May 7, 1851 – May 4, 1852
363 days
Democratic
1851
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1850–1851)
3
John G. Nichols (1812-1898; aged 85)
May 4, 1852 – May 3, 1853
364 days
Democratic
1852
Los Angeles City Recorder (1850–1851)
4
Antonio F. Coronel (1817–1894; aged 76)
May 3, 1853 – May 4, 1854
1 year, 1 day
Democratic
1853
1st Los Angeles County Assessor (1850–1853)
5
Stephen C. Foster (1820–1898; aged 77)
May 4, 1854 – January 13, 1855[ b]
254 days
Democratic
1854
Member of the Los Angeles Board of Education (1853–1854)
–
Manuel Requena [ b] (1802–1876; aged 74)
January 13, 1855 – January 25, 1855
12 days
Republican
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1850–1855)
(5)
Stephen C. Foster [ c] (1820-1898; aged 77)
January 25, 1855[ b] – May 9, 1855
138 days
Democratic
1855 (J)
Mayor of Los Angeles (1854–1855)
6
Thomas Foster (unknown birth or death)
May 9, 1855 – May 7, 1856
364 days
Democratic
1855 (M)
Member of the Board of Education School Commission (1860–1862)
(5)
Stephen C. Foster [ c] (1820-1898; aged 77)
May 7, 1856 – September 22, 1856[ d]
138 days
Democratic
1856 (M)
Mayor of Los Angeles (1855)
–
Manuel Requena (1802–1876; aged 74)
September 22, 1856 – October 4, 1856
12 days
Republican
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1856–1867)
(3)
John G. Nichols [ c] (1812-1898; aged 85)
October 4, 1856 – May 9, 1859
2 years, 217 days
Democratic
1856 (O)
1857
1858
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1855–1856)
7
Damien Marchesseault (1818–1868; aged 49)
May 9, 1859 – May 9, 1860
1 year
Democratic
1859
None
8
Henry Mellus †[ e] (1816–1860; aged 44)
May 9, 1860 – December 26, 1860
231 days
Democratic
1860
None
–
Wallace Woodworth [ e] (1832–1882; aged 50)
December 26, 1860 – January 7, 1861
12 days
Democratic
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1860–1861)
(7)
Damien Marchesseault [ c] (1818–1868; aged 49)
January 7, 1861 – May 5, 1865
4 years, 119 days
Democratic
1861
1862
1863
1864
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1860)
9
Jose Mascarel (1816–1899; aged 83)
May 5, 1865 – May 10, 1866
1 year, 5 days
Republican
1865
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1864–1865)
10
Cristobal Aguilar (1816–1886; aged 70)
May 10, 1866 – May 8, 1867[ f]
363 days
Democratic
1866
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1861–1862)
(7)
Damien Marchesseault [ c] (1818–1868; aged 49)
May 8, 1867 – August 8, 1867[ f]
92 days
Democratic
1867
Zanjero of Los Angeles (1866–1867)
(10)
Cristobal Aguilar [ c] (1816–1886; aged 70)
August 8, 1867 – December 7, 1868
1 year, 121 days
Democratic
Mayor of Los Angeles (1866–1867)
11
Joel Turner (1820–1888; aged 68)
December 9, 1868 – December 9, 1870
2 years
Democratic
1868
1869
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1862–1864)
(10)
Cristobal Aguilar [ c] (1816–1886; aged 70)
December 9, 1870 – December 5, 1872
1 year, 362 days
Democratic
1870
1871
Mayor of Los Angeles (1867–1868)
12
James R. Toberman (1836–1911; aged 75)
December 5, 1872 – December 18, 1874
2 years, 13 days
Democratic
1872
1873
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1870)
13
Prudent Beaudry (1819–1893; aged 74)
December 18, 1874 – December 8, 1876
1 year, 356 days
Democratic
1874
1875
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1871–1874)
14
Frederick A. MacDougall †[ g] (1818–1878)
December 8, 1876 – November 16, 1878
1 year, 348 days
Democratic
1876
1877
None
–
Bernard Cohn [ g] (1835–1889; aged 53)
November 16, 1878 – November 21, 1878
5 days
Democratic
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1876–1878)
15
November 21, 1878 – December 5, 1878
14 days
(12)
James R. Toberman [ c] (1836–1911; aged 75)
December 5, 1878 – December 9, 1882
4 years, 4 days
Democratic
1878
1879
1880
1881
Mayor of Los Angeles (1872–1874)
16
Cameron E. Thom (1825–1915; aged 89)
December 9, 1882 – December 9, 1884
2 years
Democratic
1882
1883
15th Los Angeles County District Attorney (1877–1879)
17
Edward F. Spence (1832–1892; aged 59)
December 9, 1884 – December 14, 1886
2 years, 5 days
Republican
1884
1885
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1879–1881)
18
William H. Workman (1839–1918; aged 79)
December 14, 1886 – December 10, 1888
1 year, 362 days
Democratic
1886
1887
Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1878–1880)
19
John Bryson (1852–1915; aged 63)
December 10, 1888 – February 25, 1889[ h]
77 days
Democratic
1888
Member of the Board of Police Commissioners (1890–1891)
20
Henry T. Hazard (1844–1921; aged 77)
February 25, 1889 – December 5, 1892[ i]
3 years, 291 days
Republican
1889
1890
Member of the Los Angeles Board of Freeholders (1887–1888)
–
William H. Bonsall [ i] (1846–1905; aged 59)
December 5, 1892 – December 12, 1892
7 days
Republican
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1889–1892)
21
Thomas E. Rowan (1842–1901; aged 59)
December 12, 1892 – December 12, 1894
2 years
Democratic
1892
8th Los Angeles City Treasurer (1868–1870)
22
Frank Rader (1848–1897; aged 48)
December 12, 1894 – December 16, 1896
2 years, 4 days
Republican
1894
Member of the Los Angeles Street Commission (1890–1894)
23
Meredith P. Snyder (1859–1937; aged 77)
December 16, 1896 – December 15, 1898
1 year, 364 days
Democratic
1896
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1894–1896)
24
Frederick Eaton (1856–1934; aged 78)
December 15, 1898 – December 12, 1900
1 year, 362 days
Republican
1898
Los Angeles City Engineer (1889–1890)
(23)
Meredith P. Snyder [ c] (1859–1937; aged 77)
December 12, 1900 – December 8, 1904
3 years, 362 days
Democratic
1900
1902
Mayor of Los Angeles (1896–1898)
25
Owen McAleer (1858–1944; aged 86)
December 8, 1904 – December 13, 1906
2 years, 5 days
Republican
1904
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1902–1904)
26
Arthur C. Harper (1866–1948; aged 82)
December 13, 1906 – March 11, 1909[ j]
2 years, 88 days
Democratic
1906
Member of the Los Angeles Charter Revision Committee (1906)
–
Niles Pease (1838–1921; aged 83)
March 11, 1909 – March 15, 1909
4 days
Republican
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1906–1909)
27
William Stephens [ j] (1859–1944; aged 84)
March 15, 1909 – March 26, 1909
11 days
Republican
Member of the Los Angeles Board of Education (1906)
28
George Alexander (1839–1923; aged 83)
March 26, 1909 – July 1, 1913
4 years, 97 days
Republican
1909 (M)
1909 (N)
1911
Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (1901–1909)
29
Henry H. Rose (1856–1923; aged 67)
July 1, 1913 – July 1, 1915
2 years
Independent
1913
Judge of the Los Angeles Police Judges (1905–1913)
30
Charles E. Sebastian (1873–1929; aged 56)
July 1, 1915 – September 2, 1916
1 year, 63 days
Democratic
1915
Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (1911–1915)
–
Martin F. Betkouski (1860–1942; aged 81)
September 2, 1916 – September 5, 1916
3 days
Democratic
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1909–1917)
31
Frederic T. Woodman (1871–1949; aged 77)
September 5, 1916 – July 1, 1919
2 years, 299 days
Republican
1917
Member of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission (1902–1916)
(23)
Meredith P. Snyder [ c] (1859–1937; aged 77)
July 1, 1919 – July 1, 1921
2 years
Democratic
1919
Commissioner of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission (1913–1917)
32
George E. Cryer (1875–1961; aged 86)
July 1, 1921 – July 1, 1929
8 years
Republican
1921
1923
1925
Chief Los Angeles County District Attorney (1915–1919)
33
John C. Porter (1871–1959; aged 88)
July 1, 1929 – July 1, 1933
4 years
Democratic
1929
None
34
Frank L. Shaw (1877–1958; aged 80)
July 1, 1933 – September 26, 1938[ k]
5 years, 87 days
Republican
1933
1937
Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (1928–1933)
35
Fletcher Bowron (1887–1968; aged 81)
September 26, 1938 – July 1, 1953
14 years, 278 days
Republican
1938
1941
1945
1949
Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court (1926–1938)
36
Norris Poulson (1895–1982; aged 82)
July 1, 1953 – July 1, 1961
8 years
Republican
1953
1957
U.S. Representative for California (1947–1953)
37
Sam Yorty (1909–1998; aged 88)
July 1, 1961 – July 1, 1973
12 years
Democratic
1961
1965
1969
U.S. Representative for California (1951–1955)
38
Tom Bradley (1917–1998; aged 80)
July 1, 1973 – July 1, 1993
20 years
Democratic
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1963–1973)
39
Richard Riordan (1930–2023; aged 92)
July 1, 1993 – July 1, 2001
8 years
Republican
1993
1997
Member of the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners (1987–1992)
40
James Hahn (born 1950; age 74)
July 1, 2001 – July 1, 2005
4 years
Democratic
2001
15th Los Angeles City Attorney (1985–2001)
41
Antonio Villaraigosa (born 1953; age 71)
July 1, 2005 – July 1, 2013
8 years
Democratic
2005
2009
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (2003–2005)
42
Eric Garcetti (born 1971; age 53)
July 1, 2013 – December 11, 2022[ l]
9 years, 163 days
Democratic
2013
2017
Member of the Los Angeles City Council (2001–2013)
43
Karen Bass (born 1953; age 71)
December 12, 2022 – Incumbent
2 years, 8 days
Democratic
2022
U.S. Representative for California (2011–2022)
Notes
^ In 1909, Los Angeles adopted a nonpartisan form of government, with the office and mayoral elections being officially nonpartisan since then.[ 1]
^ a b c Foster resigned as Mayor to help lead a lynch mob against David Brown, a man who had killed one of Foster's friends and was given a stay of execution by the California Supreme Court .[ 16] Manuel Requena, the President of the City Council, was the acting mayor in his absence.[ 17] Foster was then re-elected via a special election.[ 18]
^ a b c d e f g h i j The City of Los Angeles counts one mayoralty for those who served multiple non-consecutive terms.
^ Foster resigned as mayor to attend to the executorship of the estate of his brother-in-law.[ 19] City Council president Manuel Requena served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.[ 20]
^ a b Mellus died in office on December 26, 1860. City Council president Wallace Woodworth served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.[ 21]
^ a b Aguilar was unseated for three months and replaced with Marchesseault, who as Zanjero of Los Angeles was considered more important than the mayor. Aguilar was reinstated on August 8, 1867.[ 22]
^ a b MacDougall died on November 16, 1878. City Council president Bernard Cohn served as acting mayor until he was appointed by the council to become Mayor.[ 4]
^ Due to a change in the city's election calendar, Bryson's term was cut short due to voters' adoption of a new city charter and Hazard's subsequent election.
^ a b City Council president William H. Bonsall served as acting mayor for a week during the vacancy between the terms of Hazard and Rowan's terms.
^ a b Harper resigned as Mayor on March 11, 1909 in the wake of a recall election against him.[ 23] William Stephens , who was named as Harper's opponent in the recall, was appointed as Mayor before the next election.[ 24] [ 25]
^ Recalled from office; first Mayor recalled in Los Angeles history.[ 26]
^ Due to a change in the city's election calendar to align mayoral elections with statewide elections, Garcetti's second term was longer than the usual four years.[ 27]
Appendices
Mayoral terms and term limits
At the office's creation in 1850, mayors served one year terms. In 1889, the dates were change to be on even-numbered years, with the term extending to two years per term; the first election in an even-numbered year was in 1892. In 1909, the city charter changed the election years to odd-numbered years with the March 1909 election , originally slated to be a recall election against Arthur C. Harper . In 1993, voters amended the city charter to implement term limits to elected officials, including mayor.[ 1] In 2015, voters passed a charter amendment that would change the election dates to align with gubernatorial and presidential elections on even-numbered years; the first mayoral election after this change was in 2022 .[ 28]
Interrupted terms
Eight mayors have had interrupted terms: Stephen Clark Foster (1855 and 1856), Henry Mellus (1860), Cristobal Aguilar (1867), Frederick A. MacDougall (1878), John Bryson (1889), Arthur C. Harper (1909), Charles E. Sebastian (1916), and Frank L. Shaw (1938).
See also
References
^ a b c "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF) . League of Women Voters .
^ Schmal, John P. (April 17, 2004). "The Mayors of Los Angeles" . LatinoLA . Archived from the original on December 22, 2004.
^ Van Dyke, Jonathan (August 17, 2015). "SCREENING, PANEL ILLUMINATE THE LIFE OF FORMER MAYOR, UCLA ALUMNUS TOM BRADLEY" . UCLA Government & Community Relations .
^ a b Rasmussen, Cecilia (May 8, 2005). "The City of Angels Has Had Mayors With Demons" . Los Angeles Times .
^ Rasmussen, Cecilia (May 18, 2005). "From the 19th Century, a Look at City's Past Latino Mayors" . Los Angeles Times .
^ Tindal, Chris. "The French Canadian Mayor of Los Angeles" . Acres of Snow .
^ Wick, Julia (December 11, 2022). "Karen Bass sworn in as Los Angeles mayor, the first woman to hold the office" . Los Angeles Times .
^ Mason, William M. (2004). "Los Angeles Under The Spanish Flag: Spain's New World" (PDF) . Southern California Genealogical Society .
^ Caughey, John and LaRee Caughey. Los Angeles: Biography of a City . Berkeley, University of California Press, 1977. 74. ISBN 0-520-03410-4
^ "Alcalde" and "Ayuntamiento" in Pitt, Leonard and Dale PItt. Los Angeles A to Z: An Encyclopedia of the City and County . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997. 11 and 33. ISBN 0-520-20274-0
^ Waldron, Granville Arthur (June 1960). "A Pueblo de Los Angeles Memoir ... CALIFORNIA versus HENRIQUE and YUNG: A Case from the Early Judicial Archives of Los Angeles County" . University of California Press .
^ "Californio to American: A Study in Cultural Change" (PDF) . National Park Service .
^ Barrows, H. D. (1899). "ABEL STEARNS" . University of California Press . pp. 197–199.
^ a b "Los Angeles City Mayors Past to Present" . Los Angeles Almanac .
^ Supervisor Stephen Clark Foster Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine , Los Angeles County, accessed 26 Jun 2010
^ "The Hidden History of LA: The mayor who helped lynch a man" . KPCC .
^ Rasmussen, Cecilia (May 18, 2005). "From the 19th Century, a Look at City's Past Latino Mayors" . Los Angeles Times .
^ Spitzzeri, Paul R. (August 8, 2021). "Stephen Clark Foster's Recollections of "Los Angeles on the Eve of the Gold Rush," Part II, in "Touring Topics," August 1929" . Homestead Museum .
^ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850—1938 , Compiled under Direction of Municipal Reference Library City Hall, Los Angeles, March 1938 (Reprinted 1966)
^ "The Four Latino Mayors of Los Angeles" . HispanicVista . May 23, 2005. Archived from the original on September 1, 2007.
^ " "Influences That Mastered and Destroyed the Strong Man That Has Just Fallen": The Tragedy of Damien Marchessault, 1818-1868" . Homestead Museum . December 13, 2022.
^ Martinez, Yoli (September 24, 2012). "Iconic Hispanic Angelenos in History: Cristóbal Aguilar" . KCET .
^ "HARPER'S RESIGNATION DOES NOT HALT RECALL; ELECTION MUST BE HELD, SAYS CITY ATTORNEY" . Los Angeles Herald . March 16, 1909.
^ "THE NEWS SUMMARY" . Los Angeles Herald . February 2, 1909.
^ "HERALD WINS ITS FIGHT FOR PURE GOVERNMENT" . Los Angeles Herald . March 16, 1909.
^ John R. Babcock, "When Los Angeles Was a World-Class City of Corruption," Los Angeles Herald-Examiner," May 12, 1989, page A-19
^ O'Brien, Brendan (March 8, 2017). "Los Angeles mayor wins re-election in landslide" . Reuters . Archived from the original on March 10, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017 .
^ "Hoping to Boost Dismal Turnouts, L.A. Votes to Change Election Dates" . KCET . City News Service. March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015 .
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