List of mayors of Los Angeles

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.

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.

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). 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. 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. 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. The first woman to serve as Mayor is Karen Bass, who was elected in 2022.

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. With the incomplete nature of records from the Spanish colonial period of Los Angeles, only the first year of 1781 is certain.Caughey, John and LaRee Caughey. Los Angeles: Biography of a City. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1977. 74. "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.

Comisionado Name Term in officeJosé Vicente Féliz1781–1786 Guillermo Soto1812–1816

Alcalde Name Term in officeJosé Vanegas1786–1788 José Sinova1789–1790 Francisco Reyes1790Mariano Verdugo1790–1793 José Vanegas1792–1793Francisco Reyes1793–1795 José Vanegas1796–1797 Manuel Arellanes1797–1798Guillermo Soto1798–1799Francisco Serrano1799–1800Joaquin Higuera1800–1802Mariano Verdugo1802–1809Francisco Avila1810–1811Manuel Gutierrez1811–1812Antonio Maria Lugo1816–1819Anastasio Avila1819–1821

Notes

Mexican era (1821–1848)

In 1821, Los Angeles came under Mexican rule, and the city continued having an alcalde. The inaugural holder was Abel Stearns, an American trader who came to California in 1829 from Massachusetts. Name Term in officeAbel Stearns1821–1822Manuel Gutierrez1822–1824Guillermo Cota1824Encarnacion Urquides1824–1825José Maria Avila1825–1826José Antonio Carrillo1826Claudio López1826–1827Guillermo Cota1827–1828José Antonio Carrillo1828–1829Guillermo Soto1829–1830Tiburcio Tapia1830–1831Manuel Dominguez1832–1833José Antonio Carrillo1833–1834José Perez1834–1835Francisco Javier Alvarado1835–1836Manuel Requena1836–1837 José Sepúlveda1837–1838Luis Arenas1838–1839

First & Second Alcalde In 1839, instead of one alcalde, two officials served as First and Second Alcalde. 1st Alcalde2nd Alcalde Term in officeTiburcio Tapia José Sepúlveda1839–1840

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). 1st Juez de Paz2nd Juez de Paz Term in office Ygnacio PalomaresYgnacio Alvarado1841–1842Manuel Dominguez José Sepúlveda1842–1843Antonio F. Coronel1843–1844

First & Second Alcalde In 1844, the office of alcalde was restored, reverting to its 1839 posts. 1st Alcalde2nd Alcalde Term in officeManuel Requena Tiburcio Tapia1844–1845Vicente Sanchez Juan Sepúlveda1845–1846Juan GallardoJosé Sepúlveda1846–1847 José Salazar Enrique Avila1847–1848Ygnacio Palomares José Sepúlveda1848

American Territorial era (1848–1850) Between the Interim government of California (1847-1850) and California's statehood (1850), the alcaldes of Los Angeles were was appointed by military governors and by the Governor of California.

Name Portrait Term in officeStephen C. Foster January 1, 1848 – May 21, 1849Jose del Carmen LugoMay 21 1849

January 1 1850Ygnacio del Valle January 1, 1850 – July 1, 1850

Notes

Post-incorporation (1850–present) Mayor Took office Left office Tenure Party Election 1 Alpheus P. Hodges Democratic 1850 2 Benjamin Davis Wilson Democratic 1851 3 John G. Nichols Democratic 1852 4 Antonio F. Coronel Democratic 1853 5 Stephen Clark Foster Democratic 1854 – Manuel Requena Republican Stephen Clark Foster Democratic 1855 6 Thomas Foster Democratic 1855 Stephen Clark Foster Democratic 1856 – Manuel Requena Republican John G. Nichols Democratic 1856 1857 1858 7 Damien Marchesseault Democratic 1859 8 Henry Mellus Democratic 1860 – Wallace Woodworth Democratic Damien Marchesseault Democratic 1861 1862 1863 1864 9 José Mascarel Republican 1865 10 Cristobal Aguilar Democratic 1866 Damien Marchesseault Democratic 1867 Cristobal Aguilar Democratic – 11 Joel Turner Democratic 1868 1869 Cristobal Aguilar Democratic 1870 1871 12 James R. Toberman Democratic 1872 1873 13 Prudent Beaudry Democratic 1874 1875 14 Frederick A. MacDougall Democratic 1876 1877 – Bernard Cohn Democratic 15 James R. Toberman Democratic 1878 1879 1880 1881 16 Cameron E. Thom Democratic 1882 1883 17 Edward Falles Spence Republican 1884 1885 18 William H. Workman Democratic 1886 1887 19 John Bryson Democratic 1888 20 Henry T. Hazard Republican 1889 1890 – William Hartshorn Bonsall Republican 21 Thomas E. Rowan Democratic 1892 22 Frank Rader Republican 1894 23 Meredith P. Snyder Democratic 1896 24 Frederick Eaton Republican 1898 Meredith P. Snyder Democratic 1900 1902 25 Owen McAleer Republican 1904 26 Arthur Cyprian Harper Democratic 1906 – Niles Pease Republican 27 William Stephens Republican 28 George Alexander Republican 1909 1909 1911 29 Henry H. Rose Independent 1913 30 Charles E. Sebastian Democratic 1915 – Martin F. Betkouski Democratic 31 Frederic T. Woodman Republican 1917 Meredith P. Snyder Democratic 1919 32 George E. Cryer Republican 1921 1923 1925 33 John Clinton Porter Democratic 1929 34 Frank L. Shaw Republican 1933 1937 35 Fletcher Bowron Republican 1938 recall 1941 1945 1949 36 Norris Poulson Republican 1953 1957 37 Sam Yorty Democratic 1961 1965 1969 38 Tom Bradley Democratic 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 39 Richard Riordan Republican 1993 1997 40 James Hahn Democratic 2001 41 Antonio Villaraigosa Democratic 2005 2009 42 Eric Garcetti Democratic 2013 2017 43 Karen Bass Incumbent Democratic 2022

Appendices Mayoral terms and term limits At the office's creation in 1850, mayors served one year terms. In 1889, the dates were changed 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. 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.

YearTermTermlimitYearsMayor(s) affected18501 yearUnlimitedUnlimitedAlpheus P. Hodges to John Bryson18892 yearsUnlimitedUnlimitedHenry T. Hazard to William Stephens19094 yearsUnlimitedUnlimitedGeorge Alexander to Meredith P. Snyder19254 years2 terms8 yearsGeorge E. Cryer and his successors

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).

Elected mayor Last elected End of service Interim successor Election Elected successorReasonStephen Clark Foster1854 January 13, 1855Manuel Requena1855Stephen Clark FosterResigned from office.Stephen Clark Foster1856 September 22, 1856Manuel Requena1856John G. NicholsResigned from office.Henry Mellus1860 December 26, 1860Wallace Woodworth1861Damien MarchesseaultDied in office.Cristobal Aguilar1866 May 8, 1867None1867Damien MarchesseaultUnseated from office.Frederick A. MacDougall1877 November 16, 1878Bernard CohnNoneBernard CohnDied in office.John Bryson1888 February 25, 1889None1889Henry T. HazardChange in election dates.Arthur C. Harper1906 March 11, 1909John D. Works William Stephens1909George AlexanderResigned from office.Charles E. Sebastian1915September 2, 1916Martin F. Betkouski1917Frederic T. WoodmanResigned from office.Frank L. Shaw1917September 26, 1938None1938Fletcher BowronRecalled from office.

List of mayors of Los Angeles

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