The President of the Los Angeles City Council is the presiding officer of the Los Angeles City Council. The president presides as chair over meetings of the council and assignments to City Council committees and handles parliamentary duties like ruling motions in or out of order. The president automatically becomes an acting mayor when the mayor is out of state. Since 2020, the president has been elected at the first scheduled council meeting in January of even-numbered years.
The current president is Democrat Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who took office on September 20, 2024.
History Early history The office of the President was created with the introduction of the Los Angeles Common Council in 1850, with one of the members of the Council serving as the President.Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1868-1869 section, page 11 The first president of the Common Council was pioneer David W. Alexander, who was elected in 1850 before resigning a year later. In 1889, the Los Angeles City Council was created under the first city charter, though the office stayed relatively the same.
New city charter In 1965, the job of President Pro Tempore was created to preside during the absence of the President, with the first officer being councilman Thomas D. Shepard. Shepard presided when L. E. Timberlake became acting mayor due to mayor Sam Yorty traveling outside the country. The assistant pro tempore was created in 1977 with councilman Ernani Bernardi as the officer, who presided over meeting if both the President and the President Pro Tempore are out.
Councilman John Ferraro is the longest serving president, serving for 20 years in two terms. The first woman to be elected as the City Council president was Pat Russell, who held the title until 1987 when she was defeated in the City Council elections. The first Latino elected was Alex Padilla in 2001 after defeating incumbent Ruth Galanter; he served as acting mayor days after the 9/11 attacks as mayor James Hahn traveled out of the city. The first African-American president was Herb Wesson, who was elected in 2012 and served until 2020. The first Latina president was Nury Martinez, who was elected in 2020 and served until 2022.
Responsibilities
presiding over meetings of the council. giving assignments to City Council committees. handling parliamentary duties like ruling motions in or out of order. serving as an acting mayor for the Mayor of Los Angeles if the office is vacant.
List of presidents (1919–present) PortraitOfficeholderTenure startTenure endPro Tem.Assistant Pro Tem.Mayor1Boyle Workman rowspan=23 rowspan=29 Meredith P. Snyder2Ralph Luther Criswell George E. Cryer3Boyle Workman 4William G. Bonelli 5Winfred J. Sanborn John Clinton Porter6Charles H. Randall 7Howard W. Davis Frank L. Shaw8Robert L. Burns Fletcher Bowron9G. Vernon Bennett 10Robert L. Burns 11George H. Moore 12Harold A. Henry 13John S. Gibson Jr. Norris Poulson14Harold A. Henry Sam Yorty15L. E. Timberlake Thomas D. ShepardJohn S. Gibson Jr.16John S. Gibson Jr. Billy G. MillsRobert J. StevensonTom BradleyJohn Ferraro17John Ferraro Joel WachsErnani Bernardi18Joel Wachs Peggy Stevenson19Pat Russell Joan Milke Flores20John Ferraro Marvin BraudeJoan Milke FloresRichard AlatorreRichard J. RiordanJoel WachsMike HernandezRuth GalanterRuth Galanter Rudy Svorinich21Ruth Galanter Mark Ridley-Thomas22Alex Padilla Cindy MiscikowskiJames HahnCindy MiscikowskiEric Garcetti Wendy GreuelTony CárdenasAntonio Villaraigosa23Eric Garcetti Jan PerryJan PerryDennis Zine24Herb Wesson Ed ReyesTom LaBongeMitchell EnglanderEric GarcettiNury MartinezNury MartinezJoe Buscaino25Nury Martinez Joe BuscainoDavid Ryurowspan=7 Mitch O'Farrell26 Paul Krekorian December 12, 2022Curren PriceDecember 12, 2022June 13, 2023Karen BassJune 13, 2023June 20, 2023June 20, 2023September 20, 2024Marqueece Harris-DawsonBob Blumenfield27 Marqueece Harris-DawsonDecember 10, 2024Bob Blumenfield rowspan="2" December 10, 2024January 28, 2025January 28, 2025April 14, 2026Nithya RamanApril 14, 2026IncumbentJohn Lee
President pro tempore The President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council is the second-highest-ranking presiding officer of the Los Angeles City Council, serving directly below the Council President. The position was established in 1965. The President pro tempore presides over Council meetings when the Council President is absent and performs other duties assigned under the Council's rules.
List of Presidents pro tempore Thomas D. Shepard (1965–1967) Ernani Bernardi (1967–1971) John S. Gibson Jr. (1971–1975) John Ferraro (1975–1977) John S. Gibson Jr. (1977–1979) David S. Cunningham Jr. (1979–1981) John S. Gibson Jr. (1981–1985) Joan Milke Flores (1985–1987) John Ferraro (1987–1989) Joel Wachs (1989–1991) Ruth Galanter (1991–1993) Richard Alatorre (1993–1995) John Ferraro (1995–1997) Ruth Galanter (1997–1999) John Ferraro (1999–2001) Hal Bernson (2001–2003) Eric Garcetti (2003–2005) Alex Padilla (2005–2006) Jan Perry (2009–2011) Ed Reyes (2011–2013) Bernard C. Parks (2013–2015) Joe Buscaino (2015–2017) Mitchell Englander (2017–2019) Nury Martinez (2019–2020) Joe Buscaino (2020–2022) Marqueece Harris-Dawson (2022–2023) Bob Blumenfield (2024–present)
Assistant Presidents pro tempore The Assistant President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council is a leadership position subordinate to the President pro tempore. The position was established in 1977. The Assistant President pro tempore assists the President pro tempore and may exercise the duties of that office when the President pro tempore is unavailable.
List of Assistant Presidents pro tempore Ernani Bernardi (1977–1979) John S. Gibson Jr. (1979–1981) Joan Milke Flores (1989–1993) Richard Alatorre (1993–1995) Ruth Galanter (1997–1999) Jan Perry (2006–2009) Dennis P. Zine (2009–2011) Ed Reyes (2011–2013) Bernard C. Parks (2013–2015) Tom LaBonge (2013–2015) Nury Martinez (2015–2019) Joe Buscaino (2019–2020) Curren D. Price Jr. (2020–2022) Bob Blumenfield (2022–2024) Nithya Raman (2025–2026) John Lee (2026–present)
References