1989 Los Angeles mayoral election

Summary

The 1989 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on April 11, 1989. Incumbent Tom Bradley was re-elected over ten candidates in the primary election. It would be the last time Bradley ran for mayor, as he chose to retire after his fifth term.[1]

1989 Los Angeles mayoral election

← 1985 April 11, 1989 (1989-04-11) 1993 →
 
Candidate Tom Bradley Nate Holden Baxter Ward
Popular vote 165,599 89,184 48,923
Percentage 51.90% 27.95% 15.33%

Mayor before election

Tom Bradley

Elected Mayor

Tom Bradley

Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.[2]

Election edit

Bradley, now in his fourth term, was slowly declining in popularity during his term due to traffic congestion, air pollution, and commercial development threatening residential neighborhoods in the city.[3] He had also run in the 1986 California gubernatorial election, which he lost again to Republican George Deukmejian in a landslide.[4] Despite this, Bradley announced that he would be running for a fifth term.[5][6] He faced minimal opposition at the start, with councilman Zev Yaroslavsky declining to run because of a private poll that had Bradley in the lead.[7] Bradley was widely expected to easily win re-election.[8] Councilman Nate Holden and former supervisor Baxter Ward filed late into the filing period, giving Bradley two challengers.[9] Holden, who was a newcomer in the City Council, was able to drive up some votes, and in the primary election gained one-third of the vote.[10]

Results edit

Los Angeles mayoral general election, April 11, 1989[11]
Candidate Votes %
Tom Bradley (incumbent) 165,599 51.90
Nate Holden 89,184 27.95
Baxter Ward 48,923 15.33
Raul Reyes 3,962 1.24
Maria Elizabeth Muñoz 2,843 0.89
Eileen Anderson 2,700 0.85%
Stewart Alexander 2,691 0.84
Joel Britton 1,311 0.41
Khushro Ghandi 1,227 0.39
Leonard Miropol 501 0.16
Gary Passi 147 0.05
Total votes 319,088 100.00

References and footnotes edit

  1. ^ "Bradley calls it quits". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 25, 1992.
  2. ^ "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF). League of Women Voters.
  3. ^ "Angelenos applaud Mayor Bradley in poll". The Desert Sun. February 21, 1989.
  4. ^ "Bradley ready to file for 5th term as mayor". The Desert Sun. January 11, 1989.
  5. ^ "Beaming Tom Bradley starts bid for sth term". The Desert Sun. February 2, 1989.
  6. ^ "Tom Bradley seeks fifth term as LA mayor". Santa Cruz Sentinel. April 9, 1989.
  7. ^ "Bradley's popularity drives foe from race". The Desert Sun. January 7, 1989.
  8. ^ "Bradley breezing to re-election". The Press Democrat. January 20, 1989.
  9. ^ "LA's mayor picks up last-minute challenge". Santa Cruz Sentinel. January 15, 1989.
  10. ^ "Bradley heads toward fifth term as LA mayor". Santa Cruz Sentinel. April 12, 1989.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.

External links edit

  • Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles