As you’ve probably noticed, L.A. City Council has been making some serious headlines lately. Three Council members caught on tape in a racist conversation have resulted in widespread calls for resignation — from Angelenos, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and even President Biden.
If you’re living in the heart of this mess, you might be wondering — will my vote this November have any say on the future of L.A. City Council?
Before you ask: None of the council members caught on tape are up for reelection this November.
- Nury Martinez (former council member for District 6) has already resigned — and the District 6 seat has been appointed a temporary caretaker.
- Gil Cedillo, council member for District 1, was up for reelection in the June primary, but lost to Eunisses Hernandez.
- Kevin de León, council member for District 14, is still refusing to resign, and his district seat is not up for reelection until 2024.
Okay, now back to what you need to know for this November:
Voters only vote on L.A. City Council seats if they live in the City of L.A., not just L.A. County. Many people who have "Los Angeles" in their mailing address live in unincorporated L.A. County, and do not vote in L.A. City Council races.
But even if you do live in the city of L.A., you still might not be voting in any L.A. City Council races this November.
L.A. City Council elections are staggered, and only four district seats are up for election this November. You will see an L.A. City Council race on your ballot if you live in one of these districts:
Live in one of those districts? Read our full guide to L.A. City Council.
Still not sure?
You can always confirm what should be on your ballot by putting your address in Voter’s Edge. Be sure to enter your whole address, and not just your ZIP code.
Contact the L.A. County Elections office if you suspect any problems with your ballot.
More Voter Guides
City of Los Angeles
- Mayor: Learn more about Karen Bass and Rick Caruso, and who is funding their campaigns
- City Controller: Learn who is running and why it matters
- Measures: Make sense of Measure LH, Measure SP, and Measure ULA
- City Council: There are four districts on this ballot
L.A. County
- Sheriff: Compare the two candidates for L.A. County sheriff
- Water Agencies: Learn what they do and what to look for in a candidate
How to evaluate judges
- Superior Court: What you need to know to make a choice
- Court of Appeals: Why this in on your ballot
- State Supreme Court: What your vote means
California propositions
- Propositions 26 and 27: The difference between the sports betting ballot measures
- Proposition 29: Why kidney dialysis is on your ballot for the third time
- Proposition 30: Why Lyft is the biggest funder of this ballot measure
Head to the Voter Game Plan homepage for guides to the rest of your ballot.
