Mayor of Los Angeles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City of Los Angeles |
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| Government of Los Angeles | |
| Style | Her Honor |
| Residence | Getty House |
| Term length | Four years (renewable once) |
| Inaugural holder | Alpheus P. Hodges |
| Formation | 1850 |
| Salary | $269,365 |
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The mayor of Los Angeles is like the main boss of the city! They lead the executive branch of the government of Los Angeles. This means they are in charge of making sure the city runs smoothly. The mayor's job is officially nonpartisan. This means they don't run as a member of a political party. This rule changed in 1909.
Los Angeles has had 42 men and one woman as mayor since 1850. That's when California became a state. Before that, from 1781, people called Californios served as alcalde. This word is like an old Spanish term for mayor. The current mayor is Karen Bass. She was elected on November 17, 2022. She started her job on December 12, 2022.
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A Look at History
The first leader of El Pueblo de la Reina de los Ángeles was called an Alcalde. This role was created in 1781. The alcalde was chosen every year. They could not be re-elected for two years in a row.
In 1841, the alcalde job was removed. Instead, two Jueces de Paz (which means "Justice of the peace") took over. But in 1844, the alcalde role came back. It still had two officials. When Los Angeles became part of the United States, the name changed to Mayor.
What Does the Mayor Do?
Los Angeles has a council form of government. This means the mayor is the chief executive of the city. The mayor chooses important leaders and officials for city jobs. They also suggest the city's yearly budget. Most of the mayor's choices need to be approved by the City Council.
The mayor can also say "no" to (veto) some actions made by the City Council. But the City Council can still pass the action. They just need a two-thirds vote to overrule the mayor's veto.
The mayor's office changes a bit with each new mayor. But it usually has a chief of staff and other helpers. These helpers manage different parts of the city. This can include housing, business, and helping immigrants.
The mayor has an office in the Los Angeles City Hall. They also live in the mayor's mansion, Getty House. It is located in Windsor Square. As of 2020, the mayor earned a salary of $248,141.
How Mayors Are Chosen
The mayor is elected for a four-year term. They can serve only two terms in a row. Even though the job is officially nonpartisan, most candidates share their political party.
The mayor is chosen in a citywide election. This election uses a two-round system. The first round is called the primary election. If a candidate gets more than half of the votes in this round, they win right away. If no one gets a majority, the top two candidates go to a second election. This second election is called the general election. People can write in names for the primary election. But they cannot do this for the general election.
Mayoral elections used to be held in odd-numbered years until 2017. In 2014, the City Council suggested holding city elections at the same time as bigger state and national elections. This was to get more people to vote. In 2015, voters agreed to this change. The mayor elected in 2017 served for five and a half years. From 2022 onwards, mayoral elections happen at the same time as statewide gubernatorial elections. These are held every four years.
The most recent election was in November 2022. In this election, politician Karen Bass won against businessman Rick Caruso.
What Happens If a Mayor Leaves Office?
Registered voters can try to remove the mayor from office. This is called a recall election. It happens if at least 15 percent of voters sign a petition. This petition must be signed within 120 days. If enough people sign, a special election is held. Voters decide if the mayor should be removed. They also choose who should replace them from a list of candidates. If the mayor is removed, the candidate with the most votes takes over. If no replacement candidate gets a majority, the top two candidates have a runoff election.
If the mayor resigns, the Los Angeles City Council can choose a temporary mayor. They can also call a special election to choose a new mayor.
See also
- History of Los Angeles
- Timeline of Los Angeles
- Government of Los Angeles
- Los Angeles City Council
- President of the Los Angeles City Council
