Los Angeles's 1st City Council district explained

State:Los Angeles
District:1
Chamber:City Council
Representative:Eunisses Hernandez
Party:Democratic
Residence:Highland Park
Population:248,124
Population Year:2022
Percent Hispanic:96.5
Percent Asian:17.6
Percent White:9.2
Percent Black:2.5
Percent Other Race:0.4
Registered:96,058
Registered Year:2017

Los Angeles's 1st City Council district is one of the fifteen districts in the Los Angeles City Council. It is currently represented by Democrat Eunisses Hernandez since 2022, after she beat previous councilmember Gil Cedillo that year.

The district was created in 1925 after a new city charter was passed, which replaced the former "at large" voting system for a nine-member council with a district system with a 15-member council. Between 1923 and 1987, District 1 represented all, then parts, of the San Fernando Valley. It was redistricted in 1987 after the death of councilmember Howard Finn to cover an area northwest and north of Downtown Los Angeles in order to provide another majority-Hispanic council district in the city.[1]

Geography

The 1st district encompasses neighborhoods in Northeast Los Angeles and Downtown Los Angeles, including, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Chinatown, Mount Washington, Echo Park, Elysian Park, Westlake, Pico-Union, Koreatown, Angelino Heights, Lincoln Heights, and MacArthur Park.[2] The district is separated from Downtown by the 110 freeway, and the boundary continues northeast until it reaches York Boulevard in Highland Park. The district is approximately 13.5 square miles in area, making it the city's third-smallest council district.[3]

The district is overlapped with California's 34th, as well as overlapping with California's 52nd and 54th State Assembly districts and California's 26th and 28th State Senate districts.

Historical boundaries

The district was preceded by the first ward, established in 1870 when the city was first incorporated. During the ward system in place from 1870 to 1889, it elected three (four from 1874 to 1878) to the Los Angeles Common Council. The first ward included the northern part of Downtown Los Angeles and was within the northwestern portion of the city's original boundaries.[4] [5] The district was obsolete when the at-large district was first established in 1889.

From 1889 to 1909, the ward was re-established, with the boundaries at the Los Angeles River, Mission Street, and Macy Street. It included the neighborhoods of East Lost Angeles, Cypress Park, Mount Washington, and other Eastside Los Angeles communities. It elected one member through a plurality vote before the ward became obsolete when the at-large district was re-established again in 1909.[6]

In 1925, the 1st district was created and was mainly situated within the San Fernando Valley. At its creation, it encompassed all of San Fernando Valley, some of the Santa Monica Mountains reaching south to the Sherman district, the Cahuenga Pass, the Hollywood Hills, Griffith Park, Atwater and the eastern part of the Los Feliz District south to approximately Santa Monica Boulevard.[7] [8] The district office was located in the Roscoe neighborhood.[9] In 1928, the eastern section of the southern boundary was changed from Sunset Boulevard to Fountain Avenue, with the west boundary being along the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains.[10] In 1933, Atwater Village was absorbed into the district, with Los Feliz later being absorbed in 1937.[11] [12] [13]

In 1940, with the rise of the Valley population, the 1st District gave up the Los Feliz and Atwater Village, with its southeast boundary retreating to a point near Cahuenga Boulevard and Mulholland Highway. It was then still the only Valley district.[14] By 1971, the 1st District was the largest geographic area in the city, about 76 square miles, which was a sixth the total area of Los Angeles. It included Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Shadow Hills, Sunland-Tujunga, Sun Valley and Sylmar.

On August 12, 1986, councilman Howard Finn of died in office, leaving the district without an incumbent.[1] [15] Because of a court order to have the Council redistrict itself to provide more representation for Latinos, the 1st district was redrawn to be in the 69% Latino area north and west of downtown Los Angeles.[16]

List of members representing the district

1889–1909

CouncilmemberPartyYearsElectoral history
Single-member ward established February 25, 1889
align=left
H. V. Van Dusen
Republicannowrap February 25, 1889 –
December 5, 1890
Elected in 1889.
Retired.
align=left
Francis M. Nickell
Democraticnowrap December 5, 1890 –
December 12, 1894
Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Lost re-election.
align=left
George W. Stockwell
Republicannowrap December 12, 1894 –
December 16, 1896
Elected in 1984.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Francis M. Nickell
Democraticnowrap December 16, 1896 –
December 15, 1898
Elected in 1896.
Lost re-election.
align=left
William H. Pierce
Republicannowrap December 15, 1898 –
December 5, 1902
Elected in 1897.
Re-elected in 1900.
Retired.

Owen McAleer
RepublicanDecember 5, 1902 –
December 8, 1904
Elected in 1902.
Retired to run for Mayor of Los Angeles.
<-- Do not add an image unless it is of the person, and the image is free. Member tables do not include placeholder images. -->
Fred L. Ford
Republicannowrap December 8, 1904 –
December 13, 1906
Elected in 1904.
Retired.
align=left
R. W. Dromgold
Democratnowrap December 8, 1906 –
December 10, 1909
Elected in 1906.
Retired.
Single-member ward eliminated December 10, 1909

1925–present

CouncilmemberPartyDatesElectoral history
District established July 1, 1925
align=left
Charles H. Randall
Prohibitionnowrap July 1, 1925 –
June 30, 1933
Elected in 1925.
Re-elected in 1927.
Re-elected in 1929.
Re-elected in 1931.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Jim Wilson
Republicannowrap July 1, 1933 –
June 30, 1941
Elected in 1933.
Re-elected in 1935.
Re-elected in 1937.
Re-elected in 1939.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Delamere F. McCloskey
Democraticnowrap July 1, 1941 –
June 30, 1945
Elected in 1941.
Re-elected in 1943.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Leland S. Warburton
Republicannowrap July 1, 1945 –
June 30, 1953
Elected in 1945.
Re-elected in 1947.
Re-elected in 1949.
Re-elected in 1951.
Retired.
align=left
Everett G. Burkhalter
Democraticnowrap July 1, 1953 –
December 26, 1962
Elected in 1953.
Re-elected in 1957.
Re-elected in 1961.
Resigned when elected to the
U. S. House of Representatives.
Vacantnowrap December 26, 1962 –
January 28, 1963
align=left
Louis R. Nowell
Democraticnowrap January 28, 1963 –
June 30, 1977
Appointed to finish Burkhalter's term.
Elected in 1963.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1969.
Re-elected in 1973.
Retired.
align=left
Bob Ronka
Democraticnowrap July 1, 1977 –
June 30, 1981
Elected in 1977.
Retired to run for City Attorney.[17]
align=left
Howard Finn
Independentnowrap July 1, 1981 –
August 12, 1986
Elected in 1981.
Re-elected in 1985.
Died.
Vacantnowrap August 12, 1986 –
February 3, 1987
Chief Legislative Analyst William McCarley
appointed as caretaker until next election.[18]
align=left
Gloria Molina
Democraticnowrap February 3, 1987 –
March 7, 1991
Elected in finish Finn's term.
Resigned when elected to the
L. A. County Board of Supervisors.[19]
Vacantnowrap March 7, 1991 –
August 13, 1991
align=left
Mike Hernandez
Democraticnowrap August 13, 1991 –
June 30, 2001
Elected to finish Molina's term.
Re-elected in 1995.
Re-elected in 1997.
Termed out.
align=left
Ed Reyes
Democraticnowrap July 1, 2001 –
June 30, 2013
Elected in 2001.
Re-elected in 2005.
Re-elected in 2009.
Termed out.
align=left
Gil Cedillo
Democraticnowrap July 1, 2013 –
December 12, 2022
Elected in 2013.
Re-elected in 2017.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Eunisses Hernandez
Democraticnowrap December 12, 2022 –
present
Elected in 2022.

References

Access to most Los Angeles Times links requires the use of a library card.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: . Decker . Cathleen . Rural Valley Area Draws the Line Over Redistricting Plan . Los Angeles Times . 8 September 1986 . B1 .
  2. Web site: LA City Council In 2023: Your Guide To Who's Who (And What They Do). Hernández, Caitlin. November 18, 2022. LAist.
  3. http://www.cd1.lacity.org/welcome.htm Los Angeles City Council website
  4. Web site: The Ward Boundaries.. November 12, 1878. Los Angeles Herald.
  5. Web site: The Black Pioneers of Los Angeles County: The Counting of African Americans in the 1880 Federal Census. February 22, 2021. Homestead Museum. "In the city’s First Ward including the northern part of downtown, [...].".
  6. Book: The Road to Reform: Los Angeles' Municipal Elections of 1909: Part II. University of California Press. 86. 4. 325–368. Stevens, Mark H..
  7. https://search.proquest.com/docview/161720218 "First Map Showing City Council's Districts," Los Angeles Times, January 16, 1925, page 1
  8. https://search.proquest.com/docview/161759966 "Here Are the Hundred and Twelve Aspirants for the City's Fifteen Councilmanic Seats," Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1925, page 7
  9. https://search.proquest.com/docview/161847961 "To the Citizens of Los Angeles," Los Angeles Times, February 14, 1926, page B-5
  10. https://search.proquest.com/docview/162132736 "Council Areas' Lines Changed," Los Angeles Times, December 29, 1928, page A-1
  11. https://search.proquest.com/docview/163109975 "District Lines Get Approval," Los Angeles Times, December 24, 1932, page 2
  12. https://search.proquest.com/docview/163102835 "City Reapportionment Measure Gets Approval," Los Angeles Times, January 19, 1933
  13. https://search.proquest.com/docview/164642106 "New Council Zones Defined," Los Angeles Times, January 7, 1937, page A-18
  14. https://search.proquest.com/docview/165123125 "Proposed New Alignment for City Voting Precincts" (with map), Los Angeles Times, November 30, 1940, page A-3
  15. News: . Candlelight Service for Finn to Be Held Tonight in Sunland . Los Angeles Times . 20 August 1986 . V_A7 .
  16. News: . Merina . Victor . Simon . Richard . Wachs Fails in Last-Ditch Effort to Halt Remap Plan: REMAP: Bid to Stop Plan Unsuccessful . Los Angeles Times . 17 September 1986 . B1 .
  17. https://search.proquest.com/docview/162880792 Erwin Baker, "Ronka Plans to Run for City Attorney Post, Quit Council," Los Angeles Times, August 12, 1980, page C-1
  18. Web site: LAPD Detective First in Scramble to Fill Finn's Seat. Simon, Richard. August 16, 1986. Los Angeles Times.
  19. News: Simon . Richard . Molina Wins Historic Contest for Supervisor : Politics: The victory culminates a long struggle to put a Latino on board. She is first woman elected to panel . Los Angeles Times . 1991-02-20.