List of mayors of Compton, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Compton, California
Incumbent Emma Sharif since June 30, 2021
Inaugural holder	C.A. Dickison
Formation	1924
Salary	$7,200/year
Website	City of Compton-Aja Brown, Mayor

Welcome to the exciting history of the mayors of Compton, California! A mayor is like the main leader of a city. They help make important decisions and guide the city's future. Compton is a city in Los Angeles County, California, known for its rich history and vibrant community.

This article will introduce you to the people who have served as mayor of Compton since the city was formed in 1924. You'll learn about some of the important leaders and what makes their time in office special.

Compton's Mayors: A Look Back

The mayor of Compton is chosen by the people who live in the city through elections. Each mayor serves for a certain period, called a "term." Over the years, many different people have held this important job, helping Compton grow and change.

Early Mayors of Compton

The very first mayor of Compton was C. A. Dickison, who started his term in 1924. He was a member of the Republican Party. After him, C. S. Smith became the first mayor from the Democratic Party in 1933.

Here's a list of the mayors who have led Compton:

#	Image	Mayor	Term	Party	Notes
1		C. A. Dickison	1924–1933	Republican	Compton's first mayor.
2		C. S. Smith	1933–1936	Democratic	The first Democratic mayor.
3		A. Leroy Aylmer	1936–1941	Republican
4		Roy W. Tarleton	1945–1946	Republican
5		Milton Andrew	1946
6		Monte Snavely	1946	Democratic
7		Harry T. Laugharn	1946–1953
8		Frank G. Bussing	1953–1957	Republican
9		Del M. Clawson	1957–1963	Republican	The most recent Republican mayor.
10		Chester R. Crain	1963–1969	Democratic
11		Douglas Dollarhide	1969–1973	Democratic	Compton's first Black mayor.
12		Doris A. Davis	1973–1977	Democratic	Compton's first female mayor.
13		Lionel Cade	1977–1981	Democratic
14		Walter R. Tucker, Jr.	1981–1990	Democratic
15		Walter R. Tucker III	1991–1992	Democratic
16		Omar Bradley	1993 – 2001
17		Eric J. Perrodin	2001 – July 2, 2013
18		Aja Brown	July 2, 2013 – June 30, 2021	Democratic	The youngest mayor elected in Compton.
18		Emma Sharif	June 30, 2021 – present	Democratic	The current mayor of Compton.

Important Milestones in Mayoral History

Compton has seen many important "firsts" in its mayoral history. In 1969, Douglas Dollarhide became the first African American mayor of Compton. This was a very significant moment for the city. Later, in 1973, Doris A. Davis made history as the first female mayor. More recently, Aja Brown became the youngest person ever elected as mayor of Compton in 2013.

While a large part of Compton's population is of Hispanic or Latino American background, as of 2025, the city has not yet had a Hispanic mayor.

Mayoral Elections: How Leaders Are Chosen

Mayoral elections are how the people of Compton choose their mayor. Candidates run campaigns, and citizens vote for who they believe will best lead the city. The person with the most votes wins the election. Sometimes, there are special elections to fill a mayor's spot if they leave office early.

Here are some of the past mayoral election results, showing who won:

• NOTE: A special election happened in 1991 to fill a vacancy. In such cases, the person with the most votes wins, even if it's less than 50%.