# 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, though the office has been nonpartisan since 1909.
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.

### Comisionado

| Name | Term in office |
| José Vicente Féliz | 1781–1786 |
| Guillermo Soto | 1812–1816 |

### Alcalde

| Name | Term in office |
| José Vanegas | 1786–1788 |
| José Sinova | 1789–1790 |
| Francisco Reyes | 1790 |
| 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. The inaugural holder was Abel Stearns, an American trader who came to California in 1829 from Massachusetts.
| Name | Term in office |
| Abel Stearns | 1821–1822 |
| Manuel Gutierrez | 1822–1824 |
| Guillermo Cota | 1824 |
| Encarnacion Urquides | 1824–1825 |
| José Maria Avila | 1825–1826 |
| José Antonio Carrillo | 1826 |
| Claudio López | 1826–1827 |
| Guillermo Cota | 1827–1828 |
| José Antonio Carrillo | 1828–1829 |
| Guillermo Soto | 1829–1830 |
| Tiburcio Tapia | 1830–1831 |
| Manuel Dominguez | 1832–1833 |
| José Antonio Carrillo | 1833–1834 |
| José Perez | 1834–1835 |
| Francisco Javier Alvarado | 1835–1836 |
| Manuel Requena | 1836–1837 |
| José Sepúlveda | 1837–1838 |
| Luis Arenas | 1838–1839 |

### 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).
| 1st Juez de Paz | 2nd Juez de Paz | Term in office |
| Ygnacio Palomares | Ygnacio Alvarado | 1841–1842 |
| Manuel Dominguez | José Sepúlveda | 1842–1843 |
| Manuel Dominguez | Antonio F. Coronel | 1843–1844 |

### First & Second Alcalde

In 1844, the office of alcalde was restored, reverting to its 1839 posts.
| 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.
| Portrait | Name | Term in office |
| | Stephen C. Foster | January 1, 1848 – May 21, 1849 |
| | Ygnacio del Valle | January 1, 1850 – July 1, 1850 |

### Notes

* ↑ Foster resigned as alcalde on May 21, 1849; the remainder of the year, he served as prefecto (prefect).

## Post-incorporation (1850–present)

| No. | Name | Term in office | Length of service | Party affiliation | 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 | 254 days | Democratic | 1854 | Member of the Los Angeles Board of Education (1853–1854) |
| – | Manuel Requena (1802–1876; aged 74) | January 13, 1855 – January 25, 1855 | 12 days | Republican | 1854 | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1850–1855) |
| (5) | Stephen C. Foster (1820-1898; aged 77) | January 25, 1855 – 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 (1820-1898; aged 77) | May 7, 1856 – September 22, 1856 | 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 | 1856 (M) | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1856–1867) |
| (3) | John G. Nichols (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 † (1816–1860; aged 44) | May 9, 1860 – December 26, 1860 | 231 days | Democratic | 1860 | None |
| – | Wallace Woodworth (1832–1882; aged 50) | December 26, 1860 – January 7, 1861 | 12 days | Democratic | 1860 | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1860–1861) |
| (7) | Damien Marchesseault (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 | 363 days | Democratic | 1866 | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1861–1862) |
| (7) | Damien Marchesseault (1818–1868; aged 49) | May 8, 1867 – August 8, 1867 | 92 days | Democratic | 1867 | Zanjero of Los Angeles (1866–1867) |
| (10) | Cristobal Aguilar (1816–1886; aged 70) | August 8, 1867 – December 7, 1868 | 1 year, 121 days | Democratic | 1867 | 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 (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 † (1818–1878) | December 8, 1876 – November 16, 1878 | 1 year, 348 days | Democratic | 1876 1877 | None |
| – | Bernard Cohn (1835–1889; aged 53) | November 16, 1878 – November 21, 1878 | 5 days | Democratic | 1876 1877 | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1876–1878) |
| 15 | Bernard Cohn (1835–1889; aged 53) | November 21, 1878 – December 5, 1878 | 14 days | Democratic | 1876 1877 | Member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1876–1878) |
| (12) | James R. Toberman (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 | 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 | 3 years, 291 days | Republican | 1889 1890 | Member of the Los Angeles Board of Freeholders (1887–1888) |
| – | William H. Bonsall (1846–1905; aged 59) | December 5, 1892 – December 12, 1892 | 7 days | Republican | 1889 1890 | 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 (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 | 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 | 1906 | Member of the Los Angeles City Council (1906–1909) |
| 27 | William Stephens (1859–1944; aged 84) | March 15, 1909 – March 26, 1909 | 11 days | Republican | 1906 | 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 | 1915 | 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 (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 | 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 | 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, 1 day | 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 2 3 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. Manuel Requena, the President of the City Council, was the acting mayor in his absence. Foster was then re-elected via a special election.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 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. City Council president Manuel Requena served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.
* 1 2 Mellus died in office on December 26, 1860. City Council president Wallace Woodworth served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.
* 1 2 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.
* 1 2 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.
* ↑ 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.
* 1 2 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.
* 1 2 Harper resigned as Mayor on March 11, 1909 in the wake of a recall election against him. William Stephens, who was named as Harper's opponent in the recall, was appointed as Mayor before the next election.
* ↑ Recalled from office; first Mayor recalled in Los Angeles history.
* ↑ 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.

## 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. 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.
| Year | Term | Term limit | Years | Mayor(s) affected |
| 1850 | 1 year | Unlimited | Unlimited | Alpheus P. Hodges to John Bryson |
| 1889 | 2 years | Unlimited | Unlimited | Henry T. Hazard to William Stephens |
| 1909 | 4 years | Unlimited | Unlimited | George Alexander to Meredith P. Snyder |
| 1925 | 4 years | 2 terms | 8 years | George 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).
Interrupted terms of Los Angeles's elected mayors :
| Elected mayor | Last elected | End of service | Interim successor | Election | Elected successor | Reason |
| Stephen Clark Foster | 1854 | January 13, 1855 | Manuel Requena | 1855 | Stephen Clark Foster | Resigned from office. |
| Stephen Clark Foster | 1856 | September 22, 1856 | Manuel Requena | 1856 | John G. Nichols | Resigned from office. |
| Henry Mellus | 1860 | December 26, 1860 | Wallace Woodworth | 1861 | Damien Marchesseault | Died in office. |
| Cristobal Aguilar | 1866 | May 8, 1867 | None | 1867 | Damien Marchesseault | Unseated from office. |
| Frederick A. MacDougall | 1877 | November 16, 1878 | Bernard Cohn | None | Bernard Cohn | Died in office. |
| John Bryson | 1888 | February 25, 1889 | None | 1889 | Henry T. Hazard | Change in election dates. |
| Arthur C. Harper | 1906 | March 11, 1909 | John D. Works William Stephens | 1909 | George Alexander | Resigned from office. |
| Charles E. Sebastian | 1915 | September 2, 1916 | Martin F. Betkouski | 1917 | Frederic T. Woodman | Resigned from office. |
| Frank L. Shaw | 1917 | September 26, 1938 | None | 1938 | Fletcher Bowron | Recalled from office. |