The 1993 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on April 20, 1993, with a run-off election on June 8, 1993. This was the first race in 64 years that an incumbent was not on the ballot. It marked the first time in 24 years that retiring Mayor Tom Bradley was not on the ballot, after five consecutive victories starting in 1973.[1] Richard Riordan became the first Republican mayor elected in 36 years.
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Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.[2]
Election
editAfter the retirement of Tom Bradley, the seat was open for the first time since the 1929 election when incumbent George E. Cryer retired. Many city council members ran for the post, including Michael Woo, Joel Wachs, Nate Holden, and Ernani Bernardi. Other local area politicians, including Assemblyman Richard Katz, Deputy Mayor Linda Greigo, and Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioner Richard Riordan.[3][4]
Riordan spent $4.2 million during the campaign, with much of the donations to him from the more conservative San Fernando Valley, Westside, and Harbor area.[5] In the primary election, Riordan and Woo advanced to the runoff.[6]
Riordan and Woo criticized each other over their ability to fight crime and about the economy, with Riordan calling Woo a career politician and Woo saying that Riordan was a "symbol of 1980s greed."[7][8] In the runoff election, Riordan defeated Woo, with the Jewish population in Los Angeles seen by some as the defining factor for Riordan's win.[9] Some newspapers also said that Riordan's hiring of gay staffers helped bolster the vote from gay and lesbians in the city as well.[10]
Results
editPrimary election
edit| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Riordan | 158,527 | 33.42 | |
| Michael Woo | 113,913 | 24.01 | |
| Joel Wachs | 52,221 | 11.01 | |
| Richard Katz | 46,163 | 9.73 | |
| Linda Griego | 34,227 | 7.22 | |
| J. Stanley Sanders | 20,077 | 4.23 | |
| Nate Holden | 16,166 | 3.41 | |
| Nick Patsaouras | 8,352 | 1.76 | |
| Julian Nava | 6,705 | 1.41 | |
| Ernani Bernardi | 4,735 | 1.00 | |
| Tom Houston | 3,538 | 0.75 | |
| Ted Hayes | 2,966 | 0.63 | |
| John Borunda | 1,118 | 0.24 | |
| Oscar Valdes | 811 | 0.17 | |
| Eileen Anderson | 794 | 0.17 | |
| "Melrose" Larry Green | 676 | 0.14 | |
| Adam Bregman | 643 | 0.14 | |
| Randy Pavelko | 638 | 0.13 | |
| Leonard Shapiro | 554 | 0.12 | |
| Kim Allen | 479 | 0.10 | |
| Michael A. Leptuch | 335 | 0.07 | |
| Frank Teran | 335 | 0.07 | |
| Douglas Carlton | 201 | 0.04 | |
| Philip Ashamallah | 192 | 0.04 | |
| Total votes | 474,366 | 100.00 | |
General election
edit| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Riordan | 314,559 | 53.94 | |
| Michael Woo | 268,137 | 46.06 | |
| Total votes | 582,696 | 100.00 | |
References and footnotes
edit- ^ "Bradley calls it quits". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 25, 1992.
- ^ "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF). League of Women Voters.
- ^ "Pack of 52 enters LA mayor race". Santa Cruz Sentinel. January 27, 1993.
- ^ "Candidates turn up noses at biggest perk of them all". The San Bernardino Sun. March 22, 1993.
- ^ "L.A. Mayor Race Offers Choice As Riordan, Woo, Woo Voters". Bay Area Reporter. April 15, 1993.
- ^ Tugend, Tom (June 4, 1993). "Jews split on candidates in L.A. mayoral race". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
- ^ "Riordan, Woo spar on eve of LA vote". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 8, 1993.
- ^ "LA mayoral race seen as ideological battle". Santa Cruz Sentinel. April 22, 1993.
- ^ Katz, Lesie (June 11, 1993). "Jews help put Republican mayor into office in L.A." J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
- ^ Ocamb, Karen (June 17, 1993). "Riordan Wins L.A. Mayor's Race, Promises To Make Gay Appointments". Bay Area Reporter.
- ^ "Los Angeles Mayor - Primary". Our Campaigns.
- ^ "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.