View source for Los Angeles City Council

{{Short description|Lawmaking body of Los Angeles, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox legislature
 | name               = Los Angeles City Council
 | legislature        = 
 | coa_pic            = [[File:Seal of Los Angeles.svg|200px]]
 |background_color = {{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}
 | coa_res            = 
 | coa_alt            = Seal of Los Angeles
 | logo_pic           = 
 | logo_res           = 
 | logo_alt           =
 | house_type         = Unicameral
 | leader1_type       = [[President of the Los Angeles City Council|President]]
 | leader1            = [[Marqueece Harris-Dawson]]
 | election1          = September 20, 2024
 | leader2_type       = President pro Tempore
 | leader2            = [[Bob Blumenfield]]
 | election2          = September 20, 2024
 | leader3_type       = Assistant President pro Tempore
 | leader3            = [[Nithya Raman]]
 | election3          = January 28, 2025
 | members            = 15
 | structure1         = Los Angeles City Council as of July 5, 2023.svg
 | structure1_res     = 250px
 | foundation = February 25, 1889
 | preceded_by = [[Los Angeles Common Council]]
 | term_limits = 3 terms (12 years)
 | political_groups1  = 
''Officially [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]]''
* {{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|border=darkgray}} [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]] (14)
* {{Color box|{{party color|Independent (US)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Independent (United States)|Independent]] ([[John Lee (California politician)|1]])
 | committees1        = 
 | voting_system1     = 
 | last_election1     = [[2024 Los Angeles elections|November 5, 2024]]
 | next_election1     = [[2026 Los Angeles elections|June 2, 2026]]
 | session_room       = Eco-Home Network at City Hall (3451216475).jpg
 | meeting_place      = [[Los Angeles City Hall]]<br />1 John Ferraro Council Chamber, Room 340<br />Los Angeles, CA 90012-3224
 | website            = {{URL|https://lacity.gov/government/elected-officials/city-council|lacity.gov/city-council}}
}}
The '''Los Angeles City Council''' is the [[Legislature|lawmaking body]] for the [[Government of Los Angeles|city government of]] [[Los Angeles]], California, the second largest city in the United States. It has 15 members who each represent the 15 city council districts that are spread throughout the city's 501 square miles of land.

The head of the city council is the [[President of the Los Angeles City Council|president]], who presides over meetings of the council, gives assignments to city council committees, handles parliamentary duties, and serves as acting [[mayor of Los Angeles]] when the mayor is unable to perform their duties. The current president is [[Marqueece Harris-Dawson]] from the [[Los Angeles's 8th City Council district|8th district]]. The current president pro tempore is [[Bob Blumenfield]] from the [[Los Angeles's 3rd City Council district|3rd district]]. The assistant president pro tempore position is [[Nithya Raman]] from the [[Los Angeles's 4th City Council district|4th district]].

As a [[nonpartisan democracy|nonpartisan council]], the city council does not have a majority or minority leader, but the council is currently controlled by a Democratic majority with one [[Independent politician|Independent]]. The city council has been nonpartisan since the passage of the 1909 city charter.

Council members are elected every four years, with the city council redistricting every ten years based on the previous [[United States census]]. Elections happen concurrently with other local and national elections, doing so since 2020.
{{TOC limit|2}}

== Composition ==
[[File:Los Angeles City Council districts map (2022–).svg|thumb|Post-2020 redistricting City Council districts map (from 2022)<br>({{maplink|from=Los Angeles City Council Districts (2022–).map|text=Interactive version}})]]

=== Council leaders ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;font-size:100%"
|-
! scope="col" | Position
! scope="col" | Name
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party
! scope="col" | District
! scope="col" | Since
|-

|[[President of the Los Angeles City Council|President]]
|{{sortname|Marqueece|Harris-Dawson}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
| 8
|2024

|-
|President pro Tem
|[[Bob Blumenfield]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
| 3
|2024

|-
|Asst. President pro Tem
|[[Nithya Raman]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
| 4
|2025
|}

=== Current members ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;font-size:100%"
! scope="col" | District
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Member
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party
!Incumbent since
!Began term
!Map
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 1st City Council district|1]]
|[[File:Eunisses Hernandez official headshot, 2022.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Eunisses|Hernandez}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 12, 2022 <br> <small>({{ayd|December 12, 2022||}})</small>
|[[2022 Los Angeles elections|2022]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 1.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 2nd City Council district|2]]
|[[File:Adrin Nazarian, 2018.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Adrin|Nazarian}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 9, 2024 <br> <small>({{ayd|December 9, 2024||}})</small>
|[[2024 Los Angeles elections|2024]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 2.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 3rd City Council district|3]]
|[[File:Bob Blumenfield, 2018.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Bob|Blumenfield}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|July 1, 2013 <br> <small>({{ayd|July 1, 2013||}})</small>
|[[2013 Los Angeles elections|2013]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 3.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 4th City Council district|4]]
|[[File:Nithya Raman, 2022.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Nithya|Raman}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 14, 2020 <br> <small>({{ayd|December 14, 2020||}})</small>
|[[2020 Los Angeles elections|2020]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 4.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 5th City Council district|5]]
|[[File:Katy Yaroslavsky, 2024 (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Katy|Yaroslavsky}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 12, 2022 <br> <small>({{ayd|December 12, 2022||}})</small>
|[[2022 Los Angeles elections|2022]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 5.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 6th City Council district|6]]
|[[File:Imelda Padilla, 2024.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Imelda|Padilla}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|July 5, 2023 <br> <small>({{ayd|July 5, 2023||}})</small>
|[[2023 Los Angeles special election|2023]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 6.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 7th City Council district|7]]
|[[File:Monica Rodriguez, 2019.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Monica|Rodriguez}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|July 1, 2017<br><small>({{ayd|July 1, 2017||}})</small>
|[[2017 Los Angeles elections|2017]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 7.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 8th City Council district|8]]
|[[File:Marqueece Harris-Dawson, 2024.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Marqueece|Harris-Dawson}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|July 1, 2015<br><small>({{ayd|July 1, 2015||}})</small>
|[[2015 Los Angeles elections|2015]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 8.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 9th City Council district|9]]
|[[File:Curren Price, 2021 (3x4 crop).jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Curren|Price}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|July 1, 2013<br><small>({{ayd|July 1, 2013||}})</small>
|[[2013 Los Angeles elections|2013]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 9.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 10th City Council district|10]]
|[[File:Heather Hutt, 2024 (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Heather|Hutt}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|September 2, 2022<br><small>({{ayd|September 2, 2022||}})</small>
|2022 appointment
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 10.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 11th City Council district|11]]
|[[File:Traci Park, 2023.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Traci|Park}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 12, 2022 <br><small>({{ayd|December 12, 2022||}})</small>
|[[2022 Los Angeles elections|2022]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 11.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 12th City Council district|12]]
|[[File:John Lee, 2019 (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|John|Lee|John Lee (California politician)}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent (US)}};" |
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|August 30, 2019<br><small>({{ayd|August 30, 2019||}})</small>
|[[2019 Los Angeles special elections|2019]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 12.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 13th City Council district|13]]
|[[File:Hugo Soto-Martinez, 2022.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Hugo|Soto-Martinez}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 12, 2022 <br><small>({{ayd|December 12, 2022||}})</small>
|[[2022 Los Angeles elections|2022]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 13.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 14th City Council district|14]]
|[[File:Ysabel Jurado, 2025 (3x4 crop).jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Ysabel|Jurado}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 9, 2024<br><small>({{ayd|December 9, 2024||}})</small>
|[[2024 Los Angeles elections|2024]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 14.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|[[Los Angeles's 15th City Council district|15]]
|[[File:Tim McOsker portrait, 2023.jpg|80px]]
| scope="row" |{{sortname|Tim|McOsker}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|[[California Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|December 12, 2022 <br><small>({{ayd|December 12, 2022||}})</small>
|[[2022 Los Angeles elections|2022]]
|{{hidden|Map|[[File:Los Angeles City Council District 15.svg|80px]]}}
|-
|}

== Salary ==
Members of the City Council earn $218,000 per year, the highest salary in the nation, due to a decision to make elected officials' salary equal with the salary of municipal judges.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publicceo.com/2009/04/los-angeles-city-council-earn-highest-salary-in-nation-is-the-system-giving-too-much/|title=L.A. City Council earns highest salary in nation: Is the system giving too much?|date= April 30, 2009 |website=PublicCEO}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://projects.latimes.com/la-city-salaries/department/council/index.html|title=L.A. City Employee Salaries Database|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date= August 6, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/amazing-los-angeles-city-council-salaries-171648-plus-goodies/|title=AMAZING LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL SALARIES: $171,648 PLUS GOODIES|date=October 16, 2008|website=[[LA Weekly]]}}</ref>

City councilmembers can have their salary rescinded if they are suspended from the City Council. The Council can also control who can get pay if a member is suspended; when [[Mark Ridley-Thomas]]'s pay was suspended by City Controller [[Ron Galperin]] after his suspension from the Council, his pay was reinstated after a council vote as he was not indicted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abc7.com/mark-ridley-thomas-federal-corruption-suspension-salary-and-benefits/12540583/|title=LA Councilman Ridley-Thomas to receive salary, benefits again as he faces corruption trial|date= December 7, 2022 |website=[[KABC-TV]]}}</ref> The decision was then reversed by Galperin's successor, [[Kenneth Mejia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2022/12/29/la-controller-mejia-backs-predecessors-decision-to-suspend-ridley-thomas-pay/|title=LA Controller Mejia backs predecessor's decision to suspend Ridley-Thomas' pay|date= December 29, 2022 |website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref>

== Law ==
[[File:John Ferraro Council Chamber, 1997.tif|thumb|The John Ferraro Council Chamber in 1997.]]
The Los Angeles City Council is guided by the Los Angeles City Charter. The Charter defines the City Council as the city's legislature, with the [[Mayor of Los Angeles]] serving as the executive branch of the city's government creating a strong [[mayor–council government]], though the mayor is weaker than in cities such as [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/inside-the-issues/2022/02/25/how-much-power-does-the-mayor-of-la-really-have-|title=How much power does the mayor of LA really have?|date=February 25, 2022|author=Wesler, Ariel|website=Spectrum News 1}}</ref> The City Council approves department heads and commissioners picked by the Mayor, amends or approves the Mayor's annual budget, and approve the Mayor's local emergencies to which it reviews afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-los-angeles-inauguration-mayor-karen-bass-explainer-powers-homelessness#emergency|title=LA Explained: With A New Mayor In Town, What Powers Does Bass Actually Have?|website=[[LAist]]|date=December 12, 2022|author=Hernández, Caitlin}}</ref>

The Charter also gives powers for redistricting, as the City Council picks some of the members on the charter commission to advise the council on redistricting but with the City Council having the ability to overrule the commission.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2022/10/la-city-council-racism-redistricting/|title=Will LA City Council fiasco lead to redistricting reform?|date=October 11, 2022|website=CalMatters |last1=Hoeven |first1=Emily }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2023/01/26/its-time-to-consider-expanding-the-los-angeles-city-council/|title=It's time to consider expanding the Los Angeles City Council|date= January 26, 2023|website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref>

The City Council also has a direct line of communication between it and the 99 local Neighborhood Councils, which serve as advisory groups for the officials.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://laist.com/news/politics/how-to-run-for-neighborhood-council-los-angeles|title=Neighborhood Councils Are As Local As LA Government Gets. Here's How They Work – And How To Join One|date=February 14, 2023|author=Lee, Brianna|website=[[LAist]]}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Los Angeles Common Council (1850–1889) ===
{{main|Los Angeles Common Council}}

[[File:Actors recreating first meeting of Los Angeles City Council for centennial celebration, 1948.jpg|thumb|Actors recreating the first meeting of the Los Angeles Common Council in 1948.]]
Before the incorporation of Los Angeles in 1850, members (''[[regidor]]es'') of a municipal council (''[[ayuntamiento]]'') were chosen by the residents of each pueblo since 1812, with the number of ''regidores'' being based on the population.<ref name="LAPL">[http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/03/190790.pdf Clare Wallace, Los Angeles Public Library Reference File, April 26, 1939, with sources as listed there]</ref> By 1835, the new city had four ''regidores'', alongside two ''[[Alcalde]]s'' (Mayor) and one ''[[Síndico Procurador]]'' (City Attorney).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cschs.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Legal-Hist-v.-6-Articles-History-of-Los-Angeles-full-text.pdf|title=THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES|author=David, Leon Thomas|pages=277–319|website=The California Supreme Court Historical Society}}</ref> On April 4, 1850, the Los Angeles Common Council was established alongside the office of [[Mayor of Los Angeles|Mayor]] under The Act of Incorporation as the city grew from a remote town of 5,000 residents to a city of 15,000 residents.<ref name="lmv">{{cite web|url=https://my.lwv.org/sites/default/files/leagues/los-angeles/structureofacity.pdf|title=LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT|website=[[League of Women Voters]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26413442|title=Los Angeles's 1863–1876 Boom: A New Order of Economy, Power, and Race|author= Finkelstein, Alexander|journal=Southern California Quarterly |year=2017|volume=99|number=2|pages=140–183|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.1525/scq.2017.99.2.140 |jstor=26413442 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> At its creation, the council had seven seats elected at-large with the members being elected by drawn lots. In 1857, the officials that were elected on May 6 were deposed and the officials from the previous year were reinstated, though they never took office.<ref>Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938,'' 1867-1868 section, page 1, second iteration''</ref> The council added three seats in 1868.

On July 14, 1870, the council switched to a ward system with three new wards with three seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDU18700715.2.14.5&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=From Los Angeles.|date= July 15, 1870|website=[[The Sacramento Union]]}}</ref> The Third ward added a fourth seat in 1871, three years before the First and Second wards added a fourth seat. In 1878, the First and Second wards removed the fourth seat while the third ward removed it in 1881. In 1878, the council created two new wards, the Fourth and Fifth wards, each with three new seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH18781112.2.19&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=The Ward Boundaries.|date= November 12, 1878|website=[[Los Angeles Herald]]}}</ref> By the end of the first ward system, the council had fifteen seats.

The councilmembers had various responsibilities for governing the city which included being appointed to committees, which included a school committee which later became the Board of Education for the [[Los Angeles City School District]] and later the [[Los Angeles Unified School District]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41169019|title=Education in Los Angeles: 1850-1900|author= Splitter, Henry Winfred|journal=The Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly |pages=101–118|volume=33|number=2|date= June 1951|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.2307/41169019 |jstor=41169019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The office of the [[President of the Los Angeles City Council]] was also part of the Council's creation, with the first President being [[David W. Alexander]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41168148|title=Ordinances and Regulations of Los Angeles 1832-1888: Part I|volume=30|number=1|pages=26–41|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|jstor=41168148 |last1=Newmark |first1=Marco R. |journal=The Quarterly: Historical Society of Southern California |date=1948 |doi=10.2307/41168148 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>''Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938,'' 1868-1869 section, page 11</ref>

=== Creation of Los Angeles City Council and second ward system (1889–1909) ===
In 1888, voters in Los Angeles passed a new charter that changed the government. The Common Council was now called the City Council and had nine seats for nine new wards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH18890217.2.75.5&srpos=4&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=OFFICIAL. RESOLUTION NO. 1,304.|website=[[Los Angeles Herald]]|date=February 17, 1899}}</ref> Members were elected to two year terms beginning in 1890, with one member being elected from each of the nine wards by a [[plurality vote]]. The change was granted by the [[California State Legislature]], with the first election being in August 1889.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH18890819.2.49.2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1|title=ELECTION NOTICE|date=August 19, 1889|publisher=[[Los Angeles Herald]]}}</ref> The first election under that charter was held on February 21, 1889, and the last on December 4, 1906.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25157543|title=Progressive Reform in Los Angeles under Mayor Alexander, 1909-1913|author=Schiesl, Martin J.|journal=California Historical Quarterly |date=1975 |volume=54|number=1|pages=37–56|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.2307/25157543 |jstor=25157543 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Only [[Austin Conrad Shafer]] of the 5th ward was re-elected to the new City Council.<ref name="LibraryFile">[http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/16/523540.pdf Luella Sawyer and Clare Wallace, Los Angeles Public Library reference file, 1935–36]</ref>

During the ward system, the City Council requested the annexation of six parts of the adjacent area: [[Garvanza, Los Angeles|Garvanza]], [[University Park, Los Angeles|the University area]], [[Colegrove, Los Angeles|Colegrove]], [[Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles|the shoestring area]], [[Wilmington, Los Angeles|Wilmington]], and [[San Pedro, Los Angeles|San Pedro]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41168702|title=How the Area of Los Angeles City Was Enlarged|author=Guinn, J. M.|journal=Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California |year=1914|volume=9|number=3|pages= 173–180|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.2307/41168702 |jstor=41168702 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

=== Second at-large system (1909–1925) ===
By 1909, the ward system was leading to corruption within the city council and its elections, and various newspapers suggested that the City Council have ten seats and five at-large seats, resulting in fifteen seats total, or moving to an at-large system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19080228.2.54&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=WARD REPRESENTATION IN COUNCIL|date=February 28, 1908|website=[[Los Angeles Herald]]}}</ref> That year, voters replaced the ward system with an at-large system through the Direct Municipal Primary law.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/159379554|title=THE LOGICAL COUNCIL.|date=November 8, 1909|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|id={{ProQuest|159379554}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41172235|title=The Road to Reform: Los Angeles' Municipal Elections of 1909: Part II|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|volume=86|number=4|pages=325–368|author=Stevens, Mark H.|journal=Southern California Quarterly |date=2004 |doi=10.2307/41172235 |jstor=41172235 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> They also voted to adjust the party system to have all offices become [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]].<ref name="lmv" /><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41172235|title=The Road to Reform: Los Angeles' Municipal Elections of 1909: Part II|author=Stevens, Mark H.|journal=Southern California Quarterly |date=December 1, 2004|volume=86 |issue=4 |pages=325–368 |publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.2307/41172235 |jstor=41172235 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In the first election, candidates were labeled as part of the Good Government Organization, created by political boss Meyer Lissner, or part of the "political machine" with S. P. Yoke, as the city had installed a new nonpartisan election system.<ref name="herald">[http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19091209.2.21&srpos=&dliv=none&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22T.+Aoki%22------ ''Los Angeles Herald,'' Volume 37, Number 69, 9 December 1909 — "Vote for Councilmen]"</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://my.lwv.org/sites/default/files/leagues/los-angeles/structureofacity.pdf|title=LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT|website=[[League of Women Voters]]}}</ref> In 1923, candidates were either a part of the Municipal Conference, also organized by Lissner, the People's Campaign Committee, the [[Socialist Party of America]], or [[Independent politician|independent]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41172148|title=The Los Angeles Municipal Conference of 1913: Stemming the Neo-Conservative Tide|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|volume=85|number=1|pages=29–32|author=Stevens, Mark H.|journal=Southern California Quarterly |date=2003 |doi=10.2307/41172148 |jstor=41172148 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In 1915, journalist [[Estelle Lawton Lindsey]] was elected to the City Council, being the first female City Councilmember in the City Council just four years after women had voted in municipal elections for the first time.<ref>[https://www.proquest.com/docview/159820214 "A Sweeping Victory for Good Government," ''Los Angeles Times,'' December 6, 1911, page I-1]</ref> She would be the only woman to serve during this system as well as the only woman to serve in the City Council until the election of [[Rosalind Wiener Wyman]] in 1953.<ref name="TheUnsinkableRoz">[https://www.proquest.com/docview/421526756 Dave Lesher, "The Unsinkable Roz Wyman,"], ''Los Angeles Times,'' August 13, 2000, page 12.</ref>

=== Creation of fifteen-member council (1925–2000) ===
[[File:Inside the chamber at meeting of Los Angeles City Councilmen, 1928.jpg|thumb|A City Council meeting in session in the new [[Los Angeles City Hall|City Hall]], 1928.]]
On July 1, 1925, Los Angeles voters passed a new city charter and replaced the at-large system with a district system with fifteen new single-member districts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://californialocal.com/localnews/statewide/ca/article/show/396-district-vs-at-large-elections-explained/|title=District vs. At-Large Races: The Final Frontier of Voting Rights|author=Vankin, Jonathan|date=June 7, 2021|website=California Local}}</ref> Each district was to be approximately equal in population, based upon the voting in the [[1922 California gubernatorial election]], and would redistrict every four years. The numbering system established for the City Council districts began with the 1st district in the [[San Fernando Valley]] and ended with the 15th district in the [[Los Angeles Harbor Region]]. In 1928, the new [[Los Angeles City Hall]] was completed, and the City Council moved to a room there from the previous [[Romanesque Revival]] building used.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news | author=Cecilia Rasmussen | title=City Hall Beacon to Shine Again | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-09-me-43908-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times  | date=September 9, 2001| access-date=13 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Pacific Electric | title=Early Los Angeles City Hall on Broadway | url=http://www.pacificelectric.org/los-angeles-railway/early-los-angeles-city-hall-on-broadway/ | publisher=Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society | date=March 22, 2013 | access-date=13 August 2013}}</ref>

By 1986, the City Council was under a court ruling to redistrict itself to provide more representation for [[Latinos]] in the city. On August 12, 1986, Councilman [[Howard Finn]] died, leaving the 1st district vacant, and the City Council and residents debated how the districts would be redrawn.<ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|154693266}} |title=Candlelight Service for Finn to Be Held Tonight in Sunland |work=Los Angeles Times |date=20 August 1986 |page=V_A7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|154870861}} |last1=Boyarsky |first1=Bill |title=Ethnic Remap Plan Proves to Be a Bitter Pill for Many |work=Los Angeles Times |date=11 September 1986 |page=SD3 }}</ref> The City Council voted to have the 1st district drawn to be northwest and north of [[Downtown Los Angeles]] while the 2nd district, represented by [[Joel Wachs]], was placed in the [[Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles|Sunland-Tujunga]] and [[Van Nuys]] areas.<ref name="LAT19860917">{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|154873482}} |last1=Merina |first1=Victor |last2=Simon |first2=Richard |title=Wachs Fails in Last-Ditch Effort to Halt Remap Plan: REMAP: Bid to Stop Plan Unsuccessful |work=Los Angeles Times |date=17 September 1986 |page=B1 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|154826193}} |title=Los Angeles' Realigned City Council Districts |work=Los Angeles Times |date=21 September 1986 |page=B3 }}</ref> In 1993, voters approved the adoption of term limits for the City Council, with the new limits being eight years of elected service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-11-me-guard11-story.html|title=Term Limits Closing the Door on an Era at L.A. City Council|date=March 11, 2003|author=Fox, Sue|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

After the creation of the fifteen-member council, politicians who were not white men increasingly were elected to it. On July 1, 1949, [[Edward R. Roybal]] became the first [[Latino American]] elected to the City Council.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3640203|title=Pioneering Minority Representation: Edward Roybal and the Los Angeles City Council, 1949-1962|author=Underwood, Katherine|journal=Pacific Historical Review |date=1997 |volume=86|number=3|pages= 399–425|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|doi=10.2307/3640203 |jstor=3640203 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> On January 28, 1963, [[Gilbert W. Lindsay]] became the first [[African-American]] to serve on the Council, being appointed to serve out Roybal's term after the latter was elected to [[United States House of Representatives|Congress]].<ref name="Funeral">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-05-me-6717-story.html Scott Harris, "Lindsay Praised Fondly at Burial," ''Los Angeles Times,'' January 5, 1991]</ref> On April 16, 1963, the first elected African-American on the Council, [[Tom Bradley (American politician)|Tom Bradley]], was sworn in, which also gave the Council a Democratic majority for the first time in recent history.<ref>[https://www.proquest.com/docview/168348780 "First Negro Elected to City Council Sworn In," ''Los Angeles Times,'' April 16, 1963, page A-2]</ref> On July 1, 1985, [[Michael Woo]] was sworn in, the first [[Asian American]] to serve on the Council. On February 3, 1987, [[Gloria Molina]] was sworn in as the first Latina elected to the Council.

=== Strong mayor-council system (2000–present) ===
[[File:Map of LA City Council Districts.png|thumb|Pre-2020 Redistricting City Council Districts (does not reflect current members)]]
In 1999, voters approved a new city charter that would go into effect on July 1, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-13-me-46172-story.html|title=Charter Vote Affirms Desire for Change|date=June 13, 1999|author=Brain, Jeff|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> The new charter helped create the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and helped strengthen the office of Mayor in relation to the City Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/10/us/los-angeles-reinvents-itself-adopting-new-city-charter.html|title=Los Angeles Reinvents Itself, Adopting New City Charter|author=Purdum, Todd S. |date=June 10, 1999|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Voters also voted against expanding the city council, remaining with fifteen seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-30-me-17973-story.html|title=Move to Increase City Council Size Deadlocks Panel|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=O'Connor, Anne-Marie|date=August 30, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://laist.com/news/politics/racist-recording-la-city-council-expansion-history|title=Expand The LA City Council? Leaked Tape Could Change Nearly 100 Years Of Concentrated Power|author=Hernández, Caitlin|website=[[LAist]]|date=October 17, 2022}}</ref> In 2006, voters approved a ballot measure that changed the term limits from eight years to twelve years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2006/11/09/council-now-available-to-three-timers/|title=Council now available to three-timers|date=November 6, 2006|website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref>

In 2015, voters in Los Angeles approved a charter amendment to move the election dates from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, in line with other national elections, in an effort to boost political engagement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2015/03/04/election-2015-voters-back-measures-to-change-los-angeles-election-dates/|title=Election 2015: Voters back measures to change Los Angeles election dates|author=Smith, Dakota|date= March 4, 2015 |website=[[Daily Breeze]]}}</ref> Because of the change in dates, officials elected in 2015 or 2017 had their terms extended. In 2022, after a [[2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal|highly publicized scandal]] involving three City Council members (including Council President [[Nury Martinez]]) and the redistricting process, Acting President [[Mitch O'Farrell]] introduced a motion that would create a ballot measure in 2024 to expand the Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxla.com/news/la-city-council-proposes-measure-to-expand-council|title=LA City Council proposes measure to expand council|date= October 11, 2022 |website=[[KTTV]]}}</ref>  In 2023, the first all-female council committee was formed, with the six women on the council forming the committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/politics/2023/01/26/la-council-committee-makes-history-as-first-all-women-committee|title=LA Council committee makes history as first all-women committee|date=January 25, 2023|website=Spectrum News 1}}</ref> In November 2022, the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform was formed, chaired by the next President [[Paul Krekorian]], to reform the redistricting process.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abc7.com/los-angeles-city-council-paul-krekorian-corruption/12439764/|title=LA City Council takes aim on corruption: 'We're at a turning point in the history of this city'|author=Hayes, Rob|date=November 11, 2022|website=[[KABC-TV]]}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Los Angeles|Politics}}
*[[Los Angeles Common Council]]
*[[President of the Los Angeles City Council]]
* [[Government of Los Angeles]]
*[[Mayor of Los Angeles]]

== References ==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Los Angeles City Council}}
*{{Official website}}
*[http://www.uflac.org/images/shared/Council%20District%20Maps/Map_107C_CSize.pdf Map of Los Angeles City Council districts]

{{Los Angeles City Council}}
{{Los Angeles Government}}
{{Los Angeles}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Los Angeles City Council districts| 01]]
[[Category:Government of Los Angeles|City Council]]
[[Category:California city councils]]