The 1925 Los Angeles elections took place on May 5, 1925. It was the first election under the 1925 charter, passed that same year, which changed the Government of Los Angeles, including the offices of Mayor, City Auditor (now called City Controller), City Attorney, and reorganized the structure of the Los Angeles City Council. The terms of Mayor, City Controller, and City Attorney was changed from two years to four years, while the City Council replace the at-large system with nine members to have fifteen council districts, all of which would have elections every two years.
Los Angeles elections are officially nonpartisan; candidates' parties do not appear on the ballot.
With the 1925 charter, the title of the Los Angeles City Auditor was changed to the Los Angeles City Controller. The job essentially stayed the same, except for the new term limits of four years instead of two years and with some added duties and responsibilities.
Incumbent John S. Myers won re-election against councilmember and former City Auditor William C. Mushet. Myers was first elected in 1909 after Mushet retired from the office to run for Mayor in November of that year.
The 1925 charter changed the Los Angeles City Attorney's term from two years to four years as well as giving more duties and responsibilities under the office. Incumbent Jess E. Stephens was re-elected without any opposition.[2]
Stephens was was appointed in 1921 to fill the unexpired term for Charles S. Burnell, who had resigned to become a judge, and was elected to a full term in 1923. More than 1000 attorneys signed a petition endorsing his candidacy under the new charter.[3]
With the 1925 charter, the Los Angeles City Council was re-organized into 15 members for 15 districts, replacing the at-large system with nine members. The electoral system was also changed from a plurality block voting system to a first-past-the-posttwo-round system. Each district in the new system was to be approximately equal in population, based upon the voting in the 1922 California gubernatorial election, and would redistrict every four years.[4] The numbering system established for the City Council districts began with the 1st district in the San Fernando Valley and ended with the 15th district in the Los Angeles Harbor Region. The charter also stated that elections for the City Council would be held every two years for each two-year term, a system that would be in place until 1953.
Multiple of the incumbents from the previous system ran in the election after they were redistricted, including incumbents for the new 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 14th districts. Most of them would win re-election except for Edwin T. Baker of the 14th district. The 1925 election would mark the first times that politicians from the Prohibition Party and the Progressive Party would gain seats in the council. More than 100 candidates ran in the election.[5]
The incumbent was Robert M. Allan, who was elected for the at-large district in 1921 and re-elected in 1923. Allen faced three opponents, but was re-elected outright with a majority of the vote.[7]
The 5th district encompassed the West Adams area, bounded on the north by Washington Boulevard, on the south by Exposition Boulevard, on the west by Robertson Boulevard and on the east approximately by Vermont Avenue. There was no incumbent when the district was created. Former councilmembers Robert Stewart Sparks (1921–1923) and John Topham (1911–1913; 1915–1917) advanced to the runoff, with Sparks defeating Topham in the runoff election.
Real estate agents Edward E. Moore and C. W. Clegg both advanced to the runoff, beating former councilman Bert L. Farmer; Moore defeated Clegg in the runoff election.
The 13th district bordered of the district at south of Washington Street, north of Jefferson on the western side and north of Slauson Avenue on the eastern side, bounded on the east by Alameda Street and the Vernon city line. There was no incumbent when the district was created.
Former city assessor Evan Lewis and salesman Frank L. Shaw advanced to the runoff, with Lewis having more votes than Shaw, but Shaw defeated Lewis in the runoff election.
The 9th district was bounded on the north by Alhambra Avenue, south by the Vernon city line, east by Indiana Street, and west by Alameda Avenue with the Los Angeles River bisecting it. The neighborhoods of Boyle Heights and the Arts Districts were included in the district, with the district being refered to the "Hollenbeck Heights district."
Incumbent Winfred J. Sanborn ran for re-election, defeating five other candidates by a majority of the vote, including Assemblymember Thomas L. Dodge.[7]
The 10th district was bounded by West Pico and Ninth Street on the north, Jefferson Boulevard on the south, Vermont Avenue on the west and Hooper Avenue or Central Avenue on the east. There was no incumbent when the district was created.
Contractor Charles E. Downs and Assemblyman Mark A. Pierce advanced to the runoff, with Downs defeating Pierce in the runoff.
The 11th district originally encompassed an area south of Downtown, bounded on the north by Sixth Street, on the south by Pico Boulevard, on the west by Hoover Avenue and on the east approximately by San Pedro Street. Incumbent Walter Mallard chose not to run in the election.
Attorney Peirson Mitchell Hall and former councilmember Frederick C. Langdon advanced to the runoff election, with future state legislator George W. Rochester placing third and State Assemblyman Frank H. Mouser placing fourth; Hall defeated Langdon in the runoff election.
The 12th district was comprised of northwest Downtown Los Angeles, Bunker Hill and Westlake, with a district office at 1209 Huntley Drive. The district was open as incumbent Fred C. Wheeler decided to not run for re-election in the new district; instead, he endorsed contractor A. J. Barnes for the election.[8] Another incumbent, Miles S. Gregory, also living in the new district, also retired to run for Mayor. Barnes defeated attorney E. J. McCully in the runoff election.
State Senator Joseph L. Pedrotti of the 29th district and labor figure Joseph F. Fitzpatrick advanced to the runoff election. Although Jacobson placing fourth and being eliminated in the primary, Jacobson had a write-in campaign ran on his behalf, almost winning the election against Fitzpatrick by 13 votes, but with a plurality, Fitzpatrick won the election against Jacobson and Pedrotti.[9]
Harbor commissioner Charles J. Colden and San Pedro Chamber of Commerce James H. Dodson Jr. advanced to the runoff, eliminating state assemblyman Henry E. Carter, with Colden winning the runoff against Dodson Jr.[10] Colden became the first representative of the area to the City Council since the area was annexed to Los Angeles in 1909.[11]
Although the 1925 charter changed the structure of the government of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Board of Education still used the plurality block voting system; six members out of the total candidates were elected to the Board of Education.
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