| Election Name: | 1961 Los Angeles mayoral election |
| Country: | Los Angeles |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1957 Los Angeles mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1957 |
| Next Election: | 1965 Los Angeles mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 1965 |
| Election Date: | and |
| 1Blank: | First round |
| 2Blank: | Runoff |
| Image1: | Sam Yorty, 1954.jpg |
| Color1: | c0c0c0 |
| Candidate1: | Sam Yorty |
| 1Data1: | 122,478 27.10% |
| 2Data1: | 275,249 51.45% |
| Color2: | c0c0c0 |
| Candidate2: | Norris Poulson |
| 1Data2: | 179,273 39.67% |
| 2Data2: | 259,760 48.55% |
| Image3: | Patrick D. McGee, 1954.jpg |
| Color3: | c0c0c0 |
| Candidate3: | Patrick D. McGee |
| 1Data3: | 115,635 25.59% |
| 2Data3: | Eliminated |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Norris Poulson |
| After Election: | Sam Yorty |
The 1961 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on April 4, 1961, with a runoff election on May 31, 1961. Incumbent Norris Poulson was defeated by Sam Yorty, a former U.S. Representative.
Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.[1]
Poulson ran for re-election for a third term after a movement to "draft" Poulson for a next term.[2] [3] In January 1961, former U.S. Representative Sam Yorty entered the race, criticizing Poulson for his handling of smog and taxes in Los Angeles.[4] Patrick D. McGee, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, also announced his run for mayor.[5] Both Yorty and McGee had talked about rumors surrounding Poulson that said that he had throat cancer, which Poulson denied.[6] In the primary election, Poulson and Yorty advanced to the runoff election.[7] In the runoff, Yorty defeated Poulson in the election, which some newspapers said was because Poulson "could not make a good public appearance."[8] [9]