Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California
. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:
(currently William T Fujioka) was the appointed individual heading the county but had little power as supervisors retained the right to fire and hire department heads and often directly admonished department heads in public. Based on an ordinance authored by Supervisors Knabe and Yaroslavsky that took effect in April 2007, Fujioka directly oversees departments on behalf of the supervisors, although the Los Angeles County Fire Department
, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
, Assessor, District Attorney, Auditor-Controller, and Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors continue to be under the direct purview of the Board of Supervisors. The change was made in response to several candidates either dropping out or declining to accept the position to replace former Chief Executive Officer David Janssen. Antonovich was the lone supervisor to oppose the change, stating that such a move would lead to a more autocratic form of government and disenfranchise the 1.3 million who live in unincorporated areas.
Channel 58) and transcripts are published online. Most items are approved on a "consent calendar" without discussion. However, because of the huge implications of some Board decisions, the meetings are regularly attended by speakers and protesters on behalf of many causes. The county is sued frequently by various public interest law firms and organizations on behalf of people who disagree with the Board's decisions.
Meetings can last for hours at a time. At the start of a meeting, after an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance
, all items that do not have "holds" placed on them by a supervisor or a member of the general public, or are mandatory public hearings, are approved. Following that, presentations of various dignitaries such as directors of local consulates, awards to County employees and the general public, and a pet for adoption are made. The presentations can take over an hour. Then, items that were not approved are called in numerical order unless a supervisor wishes to take items out of order. Because of this, department heads with controversial items stay for the entire meeting to wait until their item is called, which may not be the order on the agenda. Some items are "special orders", where at a set time the item will be called in order to invite guests to make presentations that they could not otherwise wait for.
During the meeting, adjournments are sprinkled throughout as well, and can include anyone the supervisor finds worthy of note. Public comment is very limited, with an individual being able to comment for a total of three minutes for all items one wishes to address during a meeting, and an additional three minutes during general public comment on any topic within the board's jurisdiction. Individuals must submit comment cards before the start of the meeting and wait until their item is called. On popular topics with multiple speakers, comments may be restricted to as little as one minute each, and the board has the discretion to figuratively muzzle anyone who is addressing the board in a disruptive manner.
, the supervisorial districts often make little geographical sense; in particular, Supervisor District 1 was specifically gerrymandered
to be a majority-Latino
area, while Supervisor District 2 was designed to have a plurality of African Americans. Despite the County's diverse population, the Board had lacked any Latino representation until 1991.
A local nickname some use for the Board is "the five little kings." Unseating an incumbent supervisor is extraordinarily difficult, due largely to the prohibitive difficulty of mounting a successful challenge in districts of such enormous geographical and population size. Indeed, no new members had been elected to the Board since Don Knabe took office in 1996, however, that record was broken when Mark Ridley-Thomas joined the board in 2008. Like other elected officials, supervisors enjoy built-in advantages of incumbency. Supervisors routinely waive parking and rental fees for various organizations, provide bus trips and give free tickets to county facilities to constituents, and build projects for the community with the supervisor's name clearly marked. Each supervisor has a budget of $3,400,000 for staff and office expenses, with the remainder going into a "discretionary fund" that can be used for grants to non-profit agencies, without a vote by the other supervisors. "Good-government" advocates have long supported the idea of expanding Board membership to reduce the size of each district, and establishing an elected County Executive as a check and balance on the Board's power, but voters have rejected such proposals every time they have appeared on the ballot. However, Supervisor Molina has supported expansion of the Board (to potentially increase Hispanic representation), and Supervisor Yaroslavsky has supported both Board expansion and the creation of an elected County Executive, much like King County, Washington
, who directly supervises county departments.
Currently, the chair of the Board of Supervisors has the option of calling himself or herself mayor. The title has drawn criticism as it can lead to confusion with the mayor of the city of Los Angeles
. However, those who support the use of the title say that the Board of Supervisors acts as "mayors" or chief executives for the millions of people who live in unincorporated areas. Currently, only Antonovich uses the "mayor" title when he is the chair. All other chairs use the title chair, chairman, or chairwoman, depending on their preference.
Members of the Board of Supervisors also sit on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
, although that organization is not a County agency.
if there are more than two years (half the term) left to serve. The provisions are not retroactive, meaning that Michael Antonovich, currently the longest serving supervisor, could serve until 2016. In 2014, Supervisors Gloria Molina
and Zev Yaroslavsky
will be termed out of office.
served in the Court of Sessions as a "Judge of Waters" and later as a "Judge of the Plains" prior to the formation of the Board of Supervisors.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:
- District 1: Gloria MolinaGloria MolinaJesus Gloria Molina is an American politician, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.-Background and career:...
- District 2: Mark Ridley-ThomasMark Ridley-ThomasMark Ridley-Thomas , often referred to by his initials, MRT, is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for District 2, who succeeded Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke...
- District 3: Zev YaroslavskyZev YaroslavskyZev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D...
- District 4: Don KnabeDon KnabeDonald R. Knabe is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, serving the Fourth District. Knabe is the current Chairman for the 2010 session. He recently was reelected on the June 3, 2008 election....
- District 5: Michael D. AntonovichMichael D. AntonovichMichael Dennis Antonovich is a politician and the most senior-serving member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors...
Governance
Until recently, the Chief Executive OfficerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
(currently William T Fujioka) was the appointed individual heading the county but had little power as supervisors retained the right to fire and hire department heads and often directly admonished department heads in public. Based on an ordinance authored by Supervisors Knabe and Yaroslavsky that took effect in April 2007, Fujioka directly oversees departments on behalf of the supervisors, although the Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
, Assessor, District Attorney, Auditor-Controller, and Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors continue to be under the direct purview of the Board of Supervisors. The change was made in response to several candidates either dropping out or declining to accept the position to replace former Chief Executive Officer David Janssen. Antonovich was the lone supervisor to oppose the change, stating that such a move would lead to a more autocratic form of government and disenfranchise the 1.3 million who live in unincorporated areas.
Board meetings
The Board meets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles. Its weekly meetings are televised on local public television (KLCSKLCS
KLCS, digital channel 41 and virtual channel 58 via PSIP, is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service, and is owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District. KLCS is known on the air as "The Education Station for all Generations" and is based in downtown Los Angeles...
Channel 58) and transcripts are published online. Most items are approved on a "consent calendar" without discussion. However, because of the huge implications of some Board decisions, the meetings are regularly attended by speakers and protesters on behalf of many causes. The county is sued frequently by various public interest law firms and organizations on behalf of people who disagree with the Board's decisions.
Meetings can last for hours at a time. At the start of a meeting, after an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
, all items that do not have "holds" placed on them by a supervisor or a member of the general public, or are mandatory public hearings, are approved. Following that, presentations of various dignitaries such as directors of local consulates, awards to County employees and the general public, and a pet for adoption are made. The presentations can take over an hour. Then, items that were not approved are called in numerical order unless a supervisor wishes to take items out of order. Because of this, department heads with controversial items stay for the entire meeting to wait until their item is called, which may not be the order on the agenda. Some items are "special orders", where at a set time the item will be called in order to invite guests to make presentations that they could not otherwise wait for.
During the meeting, adjournments are sprinkled throughout as well, and can include anyone the supervisor finds worthy of note. Public comment is very limited, with an individual being able to comment for a total of three minutes for all items one wishes to address during a meeting, and an additional three minutes during general public comment on any topic within the board's jurisdiction. Individuals must submit comment cards before the start of the meeting and wait until their item is called. On popular topics with multiple speakers, comments may be restricted to as little as one minute each, and the board has the discretion to figuratively muzzle anyone who is addressing the board in a disruptive manner.
Background
Los Angeles County follows usual California practice (which is similar to that of almost all other states) in that it did not subdivide into separate counties or increase the number of supervisors as its population soared after 1920. The only county with more than five supervisors is San Francisco, unique in California as it is legally both a city and a county, and no new counties have been formed since 1907 in the state. As a result, the concentration of local administrative power in each county supervisor is high; each one represents more than 2 million people. Moreover, because of the equal representation provisions of the Voting Rights ActVoting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S....
, the supervisorial districts often make little geographical sense; in particular, Supervisor District 1 was specifically gerrymandered
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
to be a majority-Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
area, while Supervisor District 2 was designed to have a plurality of African Americans. Despite the County's diverse population, the Board had lacked any Latino representation until 1991.
A local nickname some use for the Board is "the five little kings." Unseating an incumbent supervisor is extraordinarily difficult, due largely to the prohibitive difficulty of mounting a successful challenge in districts of such enormous geographical and population size. Indeed, no new members had been elected to the Board since Don Knabe took office in 1996, however, that record was broken when Mark Ridley-Thomas joined the board in 2008. Like other elected officials, supervisors enjoy built-in advantages of incumbency. Supervisors routinely waive parking and rental fees for various organizations, provide bus trips and give free tickets to county facilities to constituents, and build projects for the community with the supervisor's name clearly marked. Each supervisor has a budget of $3,400,000 for staff and office expenses, with the remainder going into a "discretionary fund" that can be used for grants to non-profit agencies, without a vote by the other supervisors. "Good-government" advocates have long supported the idea of expanding Board membership to reduce the size of each district, and establishing an elected County Executive as a check and balance on the Board's power, but voters have rejected such proposals every time they have appeared on the ballot. However, Supervisor Molina has supported expansion of the Board (to potentially increase Hispanic representation), and Supervisor Yaroslavsky has supported both Board expansion and the creation of an elected County Executive, much like King County, Washington
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, who directly supervises county departments.
Currently, the chair of the Board of Supervisors has the option of calling himself or herself mayor. The title has drawn criticism as it can lead to confusion with the mayor of the city of Los Angeles
Mayor of Los Angeles, California
The mayor of Los Angeles is the chief executive officer of the city. He is elected for a four-year term and limited to serving no more than two terms. Under the California Constitution, all judicial, school, county, and city offices, including those of chartered cities, are nonpartisan...
. However, those who support the use of the title say that the Board of Supervisors acts as "mayors" or chief executives for the millions of people who live in unincorporated areas. Currently, only Antonovich uses the "mayor" title when he is the chair. All other chairs use the title chair, chairman, or chairwoman, depending on their preference.
Members of the Board of Supervisors also sit on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
, although that organization is not a County agency.
Term Limits
To curb the powers of the five supervisors, voters passed in March 2002 Measure B by more than 63%, to limit the terms of the supervisors to three consecutive four year terms. If a supervisor fills a vacancy, the unexpired term counts towards the term limitTerm limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
if there are more than two years (half the term) left to serve. The provisions are not retroactive, meaning that Michael Antonovich, currently the longest serving supervisor, could serve until 2016. In 2014, Supervisors Gloria Molina
Gloria Molina
Jesus Gloria Molina is an American politician, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.-Background and career:...
and Zev Yaroslavsky
Zev Yaroslavsky
Zev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D...
will be termed out of office.
Former supervisors (before 1850 & 1850-1851)
The State of California was founded in 1850. On Feb. 18, 1850, the County of Los Angeles was established as one of the 27 original counties, several months before California was admitted to the Union. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors was created in 1852. The Court of Sessions was used under Mexican custom until 1852. The Court was composed of a County Judge and two County Associate Justices. Julian A. ChavezJulian A. Chavez
Julián Antonio Chávez was a rancher, landowner and elected official in early Los Angeles, California, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors...
served in the Court of Sessions as a "Judge of Waters" and later as a "Judge of the Plains" prior to the formation of the Board of Supervisors.
| Year | Representation |
|---|---|
| Before 1850 | Court of Sessions. Before Board creation. |
| 1850 | Court of Sessions |
| 1851 | Court of Sessions |
Former supervisors (1852-1861)
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors was created in 1852. Terms of office through the first decade were for one year. A piece of the County's territory was given towards the creation of San Bernardino County in 1853. [Note: Names in black have an article under that name, but not the person concerned in this table].| Year | 1st District | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District | 5th District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1852 | Jefferson Hunt Jefferson Hunt Jefferson Hunt was a U.S. western pioneer, soldier, and politician. He was a captain in the Mormon Battalion, brigadier general in the California State Militia, a California State Assemblyman, and a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature.-Early years:Hunt was born to John Hunt and... |
Julian A. Chavez Julian A. Chavez Julián Antonio Chávez was a rancher, landowner and elected official in early Los Angeles, California, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
Francisco P. Temple Francisco P. Temple Francisco P. Temple served on the first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1852.-Biography:... |
Manuel Requena Manuel Requena Manuel Requena served as Acting Mayor of Los Angeles, California for twelve days during 1856. A Los Angeles pioneer, Mequena served the city in both the Mexican and American periods.-Early life:... |
Samuel Arbuckle Samuel Arbuckle Samuel Arbuckle was an early California politician and pioneer to Los Angeles. He served on the first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1852.... |
| 1853 | David W. Alexander | Leonardo Cota Leonardo Cota Leonardo Cota was a Captain with the Californios in the Mexican-American War; and later a Los Angeles County Supervisor.-Leonardo Cota:... |
G. A. Sturgis G. A. Sturgis G. A. Sturgis was an early California politician and pioneer to Los Angeles. He served on the second Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1853.... |
Daniel M. Thomas Daniel M. Thomas Daniel M. Thomas was an early California politician and pioneer to Los Angeles. He served on the second Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1853.... |
Benjamin D. Wilson |
| 1854 | David W. Alexander | Stephen C. Foster | Juan Sepulveda Juan Sepulveda Juan Sepulveda was an early California politician and pioneer in Los Angeles.Juan Capistrano Sepulveda was a son of Jose Dolores Sepulveda . He served on the third Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1854 for the 3rd District. The County Supervisors in 1854 were David W. Alexander,... |
Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
Samuel S. Thompson Samuel S. Thompson Samuel S. Thompson was an early California politician and pioneer to Los Angeles. He served on the third Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1854.... |
| 1855 | Thomas Burdick/ John G. Downey John G. Downey John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor... |
David Lewis | Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
Agustin Olvera Agustin Olvera Agustin Olvera was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California and was active in the turbulent political affairs of the time.-Biography:... |
James R. Barton |
| 1856 | David Lewis | Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
Stephen C. Foster | Thomas Burdick | Agustin Olvera Agustin Olvera Agustin Olvera was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California and was active in the turbulent political affairs of the time.-Biography:... / James B. Winston |
| 1857 | Jonathan R. Scott/ Stephen C. Foster | William M. Stockton | Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez , Californio soldier and public official. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and served as Los Angeles County Sheriff.-Biography:... |
Richard C. Fryer | Manuel Dominguez Manuel Dominguez Manuel Dominguez , born at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in Alta California, Viceroyalty of New Spain, and was the heir to the vast Rancho San Pedro land grant.-Juan Jose Dominguez:... / Felix Bachman |
| 1858 | Julian A. Chavez Julian A. Chavez Julián Antonio Chávez was a rancher, landowner and elected official in early Los Angeles, California, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
Francisco O'Campo | Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez , Californio soldier and public official. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and served as Los Angeles County Sheriff.-Biography:... |
Stephen C. Foster | Francis Mellus Francis Mellus Francis Mellus , brother of Henry Mellus, was a Los Angeles County Supervisor and a successful California business man.... / Ralph Emerson |
| 1859 | Stephen C. Foster | Ralph Emerson | Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez Tomas Avila Sanchez , Californio soldier and public official. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and served as Los Angeles County Sheriff.-Biography:... |
George C. Alexander/ Haywood | Bernardino Guirado |
| 1860 | Abel Stearns | Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
R.B. Moore | Gabriel Allen | Antonio F. Coronel Antonio F. Coronel Antonio Francisco Coronel served as the fourth mayor of Los Angeles from 1853 to 1854.-Life:... |
| 1861 | Benjamin D. Wilson | Morris S. Goodman/ Thomas George Barker | Fielding W. Gibson | Julian A. Chavez Julian A. Chavez Julián Antonio Chávez was a rancher, landowner and elected official in early Los Angeles, California, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
Julius Morris |
Former supervisors (1862-1871)
Terms of office changed to two years. A piece of the County's territory was given towards the creation of Kern County in 1866.| Year | 1st District | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District | 5th District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1862 | Julius Morris | Benjamin D. Wilson | Fielding W. Gibson | Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
Vicente Lugo |
| 1864 | Asa Ellis | Benjamin D. Wilson | Cristobal Aguilar Cristobal Aguilar José Cristóbal Aguilar was a pioneer of Los Angeles, California politics in the early days of American rule. He was the last Hispanic mayor of the City, until 2005.-Background:... |
Julius Morris | Philip Sichel/ Maurice Kremer |
| 1866 | John G. Downey John G. Downey John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor... |
Maurice Kremer | Edmund H. Boyd | Felix Signoret | Eduardo Poyoreno |
| 1868 | Wallace Woodworth | James B. Winston | Robert Henry Mayes | A. Langenberger/ Hugh Forsman | Enrique Avila |
| 1870 | Hugh Forsman | G.D. Cankton | E. Sanford | Enrique Avila | R. Yorba |
Former supervisors (1872-1882)
Los Angeles County is divided into 4 districts with two persons on behalf of the First District. [Note: Names in black have an article under that name, but not the person concerned in this table].| Year | 1st District (Person 1) | 1st District (Person 2) | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | Francisco Machado | Samuel Bradford Caswell | Hugh Forsman | Francisco Palomares | A.L. Bush |
| 1874 | Francisco Machado | John M. Griffith/ Gabriel Allen | George Hinds | Francisco Palomares | Edward Evey |
| 1876 | John D. Young | Gabriel Allen/ Charles Prager | George Hinds/ John J. Morton | J.C. Hannon | Edward Evey/ W.H. Spurgeon |
| 1878 | John D. Young/ A.H. Rogers | Charles Prager | John J. Morton | J.C. Hannon | W.H. Spurgeon/ James D. Ott |
| 1880 | A.H. Rogers | Charles Prager | W.F. Cooper | J.C. Hannon | James D. Ott/ Richard Egan |
| 1882 | A.H. Rogers | Charles Prager | W.F. Cooper | J.C. Hannon | Richard Egan |
Former Supervisors (1883-1884)
Los Angeles County is divided into 7 districts.| Year | 1st District | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District | 5th District | 6th District | 7th District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | L.G. Giroux | Charles Prager | William M. Osborn | Dave V. Waldron | S. Levy | Dan Reichard | J.H. Moesser |
Former supervisors (1885-present)
Los Angeles County is divided into 5 districts. Districts 1 & 3 remain at a term of 2 years for one period, and then 4 years thereafter. Districts 2, 4, & 5 now have a term of 4 years. All Districts became 4 year terms in a phased in process by 1887. This allows for staggered elections every 2 years, which is still in effect to the present day. A piece of the County's territory was given towards the creation of Orange County in 1889. [Note: Names in black have an article under that name, but not the person concerned in this table].| Year | 1st District | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District | 5th District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | James Foord | Oscar Macy | Milton Lindley | George Hinds | Jacob Ross |
| Joseph W. Venable | |||||
| 1887 | William T. Martin | Thomas Edward Rowan | |||
| 1889 | S.M. Perry Samuel Marshall Perry Samuel Marshall Perry was a member of the Los Angeles City Council between 1878 and 1888, and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1889 to 1893. He served as chairman of the Board of Supervisors at a time when the Los Angeles county courthouse was built.Perry, who was referred to in... |
Thomas Edward Rowan | Alonzo Edward Davis | Sheldon Littlefield | |
| Henry C. Hubbard | |||||
| 1891 | John W. Cook | E.A. Forrester | |||
| 1893 | Andrew W. Francisco | James Hay | James Hanley | ||
| 1895 | W.L. Woodward | Edward S. Field | |||
| 1897 | Robert E. Wirsching | Alonzo Edward Davis | |||
| 1899 | Orray W. Longden | ||||
| 1901 | George Alexander | Peter James Wilson | |||
| 1902 | |||||
| Charles E. Patterson | |||||
| 1903 | A.J. Graham | ||||
| 1905 | Vacant | ||||
| John T. Brady | |||||
| 1907 | Charles Dewey Manning | S. Tuston Eldridge | Charles E. Patterson | ||
| 1909 | Henry D. McCabe | Clarence J. Nellis | Richard W. Pridham | ||
| 1911 | Sidney Allcutt Butler | ||||
| 1913 | Richard H. Norton | William E. Hinshaw | |||
| 1914 | Sidney Allcutt Butler/Frank E. Woodley | ||||
| 1915 | John J. Hamilton | Frank E. Woodley | |||
| 1917 | Richard H. Norton/Edward James Delorey | William E. Hinshaw/ Reuban F. McClellan | Richard W. Pridham /Jonathan S. Dodge | ||
| 1918 | John. J. Hamilton/Prescott F. Cogswell | Edward James Delorey/ Jack H. Bean | Reuban F. McClellan | Jonathan S. Dodge | |
| 1920 | Prescott F. Cogswell | Jack H. Bean | |||
| 1921 | Jonathan S. Dodge/Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright was a California politician. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and was Speaker of the California State Assembly. He served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1915-1922.... |
||||
| 1922 | Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright was a California politician. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and was Speaker of the California State Assembly. He served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1915-1922.... |
||||
| 1924 | |||||
| 1926 | Prescott F. Cogswell/Fred T. Beaty | Frank E. Woodley/ Sidney T. Graves Sidney T. Graves Sidney T. Graves was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors between 1926 and 1930. He was the only member of the county's governing body to be convicted of a crime and sent to prison. In 1933, the former supervisor was convicted of accepting a bribe concerning the building of a dam... |
|||
| 1928 | Fred T. Beaty | Jack H. Bean/Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, in 1938. He was also a member of the Los Angeles City Council and then the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
Sidney T. Graves Sidney T. Graves Sidney T. Graves was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors between 1926 and 1930. He was the only member of the county's governing body to be convicted of a crime and sent to prison. In 1933, the former supervisor was convicted of accepting a bribe concerning the building of a dam... |
||
| 1930 | Hugh A. Thatcher | Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, in 1938. He was also a member of the Los Angeles City Council and then the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
J. Don Mahaffey J. Don Mahaffey J. Donnell Mahaffey, known as J. Don Mahaffey, was a Los Angeles County supervisor from 1930 to 1932.-Biography:Mahaffey was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and educated there. He attended Media University, after which he became an accountant and was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company... /Harry M. Baine |
John R. Quinn | Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright Henry W. Wright was a California politician. He served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and was Speaker of the California State Assembly. He served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1915-1922.... /Roger W. Jessup |
| 1932 | Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw Frank L. Shaw was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, in 1938. He was also a member of the Los Angeles City Council and then the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... /Gordon L. McDonough Gordon L. McDonough Gordon Leo McDonough was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Buffalo, New York, McDonough moved with his parents to Emporium, Pennsylvania, in 1898.He attended the public schools.... |
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| 1934 | Hugh A. Thatcher/Herbert C. Legg | Gordon L. McDonough Gordon L. McDonough Gordon Leo McDonough was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Buffalo, New York, McDonough moved with his parents to Emporium, Pennsylvania, in 1898.He attended the public schools.... |
Harry M. Baine/John Anson Ford John Anson Ford John Anson Ford was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Ford was born September 29, 1883, in Waukegan, Illinois. He attended Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, taught history and economics, then moved to Chicago, where he worked on the Chicago Tribune. He was on the editorial... |
Roger W. Jessup | |
| 1936 | Herbert C. Legg | John Anson Ford John Anson Ford John Anson Ford was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Ford was born September 29, 1883, in Waukegan, Illinois. He attended Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, taught history and economics, then moved to Chicago, where he worked on the Chicago Tribune. He was on the editorial... |
John R. Quinn/Leland M. Ford Leland M. Ford Leland Merritt Ford was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Eureka, Nevada, Ford attended the public schools. He also took various courses at the University of Arizona at Tucson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Sheldon Science of Business, Chicago, Illinois, and the... |
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| 1938 | Herbert C. Legg/William A. Smith | Leland M. Ford Leland M. Ford Leland Merritt Ford was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Eureka, Nevada, Ford attended the public schools. He also took various courses at the University of Arizona at Tucson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Sheldon Science of Business, Chicago, Illinois, and the... /Oscar L. Hauge |
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| 1940 | William A. Smith | Oscar L. Hauge | |||
| 1942 | |||||
| 1944 | Oscar L. Hauge/Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1944 until his death.-Biography:... |
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| 1945 | Gordon L. McDonough Gordon L. McDonough Gordon Leo McDonough was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Buffalo, New York, McDonough moved with his parents to Emporium, Pennsylvania, in 1898.He attended the public schools.... /Leonard J. Roach |
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| 1946 | Leonard J. Roach | Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1944 until his death.-Biography:... |
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| 1948 | |||||
| 1950 | William A. Smith William A. Smith William A. Smith or William Alexander Smith may refer to:*William Alden Smith , U.S. Representative from the U.S. state of Michigan*William Alexander Smith , U.S. Representative from the U.S... /Herbert C. Legg |
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| 1952 | Herbert C. Legg | Leonard J. Roach/Kenneth Hahn Kenneth Hahn Kenneth "Kenny" Hahn was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for forty years, from 1952 to 1992. Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1947 to 1952. He was an ardent supporter of civil rights throughout the 1960s, and met Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1961.-Biography:Hahn... |
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| 1953 | Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby Raymond V. Darby served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1944 until his death.-Biography:... /Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace served for twenty years on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.-Biography:Burton W. Chace was born in Nebraska. On March 20, 1953, Governor Earl Warren appointed him to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors following the death of Supervisor Raymond V. Darby. He was... |
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| 1954 | Kenneth Hahn Kenneth Hahn Kenneth "Kenny" Hahn was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for forty years, from 1952 to 1992. Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1947 to 1952. He was an ardent supporter of civil rights throughout the 1960s, and met Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1961.-Biography:Hahn... |
Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace served for twenty years on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.-Biography:Burton W. Chace was born in Nebraska. On March 20, 1953, Governor Earl Warren appointed him to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors following the death of Supervisor Raymond V. Darby. He was... |
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| 1956 | Roger W. Jessup/Warren M. Dorn | ||||
| 1958 | Herbert C. Legg/Frank G. Bonelli | John Anson Ford John Anson Ford John Anson Ford was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Ford was born September 29, 1883, in Waukegan, Illinois. He attended Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, taught history and economics, then moved to Chicago, where he worked on the Chicago Tribune. He was on the editorial... /Ernest E. Debs Ernest E. Debs Ernest Eugene Debs , who went by Ernest E. Debs, was a California State Assembly member from 1942 to 1947, a Los Angeles city councilman from 1947 to 1958 and a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1958 to 1974.... |
Warren M. Dorn | ||
| 1960 | Frank G. Bonelli | Ernest E. Debs Ernest E. Debs Ernest Eugene Debs , who went by Ernest E. Debs, was a California State Assembly member from 1942 to 1947, a Los Angeles city councilman from 1947 to 1958 and a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1958 to 1974.... |
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| 1972 | Frank G. Bonelli/Peter F. Schabarum Peter F. Schabarum Peter Frank Schabarum was a member of the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Schabarum was born January 9, 1929, in Los Angeles... |
Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace Burton W. Chace served for twenty years on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.-Biography:Burton W. Chace was born in Nebraska. On March 20, 1953, Governor Earl Warren appointed him to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors following the death of Supervisor Raymond V. Darby. He was... /James A. Hayes James A. Hayes James A. Hayes served on the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 4th district and in the California State Legislature.-Biography:James A. Hayes was born in Fowler, California on December 5, 1921. In 1966, he was elected to California State Assembly and was re-elected two times. He also... |
Warren M. Dorn/Baxter Ward Baxter Ward Baxter Ward was a television news anchor who served two terms on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Prior to his election on the board, he ran third in an unsuccessful bid to unseat Sam Yorty for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1969.In 1974, Ward launched the nation’s first county-owned... |
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| 1974 | Peter F. Schabarum Peter F. Schabarum Peter Frank Schabarum was a member of the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Schabarum was born January 9, 1929, in Los Angeles... |
Ernest E. Debs Ernest E. Debs Ernest Eugene Debs , who went by Ernest E. Debs, was a California State Assembly member from 1942 to 1947, a Los Angeles city councilman from 1947 to 1958 and a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1958 to 1974.... /Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1965 to 1974 and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1994... |
James A. Hayes James A. Hayes James A. Hayes served on the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 4th district and in the California State Legislature.-Biography:James A. Hayes was born in Fowler, California on December 5, 1921. In 1966, he was elected to California State Assembly and was re-elected two times. He also... |
Baxter Ward Baxter Ward Baxter Ward was a television news anchor who served two terms on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Prior to his election on the board, he ran third in an unsuccessful bid to unseat Sam Yorty for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1969.In 1974, Ward launched the nation’s first county-owned... |
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| 1976 | Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1965 to 1974 and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1994... |
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| 1978 | |||||
| 1979 | James A. Hayes James A. Hayes James A. Hayes served on the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 4th district and in the California State Legislature.-Biography:James A. Hayes was born in Fowler, California on December 5, 1921. In 1966, he was elected to California State Assembly and was re-elected two times. He also... /Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress... |
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| 1980 | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress... /Deane Dana Deane Dana Deane Dana, jr. was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Dana was born July 9, 1926 in New York City. He studied engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.... |
Baxter Ward Baxter Ward Baxter Ward was a television news anchor who served two terms on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Prior to his election on the board, he ran third in an unsuccessful bid to unseat Sam Yorty for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1969.In 1974, Ward launched the nation’s first county-owned... /Michael D. Antonovich Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich is a politician and the most senior-serving member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
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| 1982 | Deane Dana Deane Dana Deane Dana, jr. was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Dana was born July 9, 1926 in New York City. He studied engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.... |
Michael D. Antonovich Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich is a politician and the most senior-serving member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors... |
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| 1991 | Peter F. Schabarum Peter F. Schabarum Peter Frank Schabarum was a member of the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Schabarum was born January 9, 1929, in Los Angeles... / Gloria Molina Gloria Molina Jesus Gloria Molina is an American politician, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.-Background and career:... |
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| 1992 | Gloria Molina Gloria Molina Jesus Gloria Molina is an American politician, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.-Background and career:... |
Kenneth Hahn Kenneth Hahn Kenneth "Kenny" Hahn was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for forty years, from 1952 to 1992. Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1947 to 1952. He was an ardent supporter of civil rights throughout the 1960s, and met Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1961.-Biography:Hahn... /Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress... |
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| 1994 | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress... |
Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman Edmund D. Edelman was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1965 to 1974 and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1994... / Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D... |
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| 1996 | Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D... |
Deane Dana Deane Dana Deane Dana, jr. was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.Dana was born July 9, 1926 in New York City. He studied engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.... /Don Knabe Don Knabe Donald R. Knabe is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, serving the Fourth District. Knabe is the current Chairman for the 2010 session. He recently was reelected on the June 3, 2008 election.... |
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| 1998 | Don Knabe Don Knabe Donald R. Knabe is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, serving the Fourth District. Knabe is the current Chairman for the 2010 session. He recently was reelected on the June 3, 2008 election.... |
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| Mark Ridley-Thomas Mark Ridley-Thomas Mark Ridley-Thomas , often referred to by his initials, MRT, is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for District 2, who succeeded Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke... |