| State: | Los Angeles |
| District: | 12 |
| Chamber: | City Council |
| Representative: | John Lee |
| Party: | Independent |
| Residence: | Porter Ranch |
| Population: | 262,032 |
| Population Year: | 2020 |
| Registered: | 161,523 |
| Registered Year: | 2017 |
| Democratic: | 44 |
| Republican: | 24 |
| Npp: | 32 |
| Percent White: | 47.7 |
| Percent Asian: | 16.4 |
| Percent Hispanic: | 28.1 |
| Percent Black: | 4.3 |
| Percent Other Race: | 0.5 |
Los Angeles's 12th City Council district is one of the fifteen districts in the Los Angeles City Council. It is currently represented by Independent John Lee since 2019 after he was elected to finish Mitchell Englander's term. Lee is the only Independent on the nonpartisan City Council, previously being a Republican much like his predecessors.[1]
The district was created in 1925 after a new city charter was passed, which replaced the former "at large" voting system for a nine-member council with a district system with a 15-member council. At the time of creation, it was situated in Downtown Los Angeles before being moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1964. Within recent years up until 2020, the seat was held by Republicans and was considered a Republican stronghold within a Democratic city.[2] [3] It is the second largest district behind the 11th district.
The district covers the northwestern San Fernando Valley communities of Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, West Hills, North Hills, and Reseda.[4]
The district is completely within California's 32nd congressional district, California's 27th State Senate district, and overlaps California's 38th and 45th State Assembly districts.
From 1925 to 1964 the district occupied the same general area in northwest Downtown Los Angeles, Bunker Hill, and Westlake, with a district office at 1209 Huntley Drive.[5] Between 1928 and 1954, the boundaries expanded the district.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] In 1954, it was now Downtown, between Figueroa and Catalina streets.[11] In 1955, it bordered Venice Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and Figueroa Street.[12]
In 1964, the council had discussed moving the 12th district to the northwest San Fernando Valley which had grown in population over the years, and incumbent John P. Cassidy agreed to do so, saying he would relocate to the area.[13] At the time, the area included Granada Hills, Northridge, Chatsworth, Panorama City, and the northern half of Canoga Park and had a population of about 190,000.[14]
| Councilmember | Party | Dates | Electoral history | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District established July 1, 1925. | ||||||
| align=left | A. J. Barnes | Progressive | nowrap | July 1, 1925 – June 30, 1927 | Elected in 1925. Lost re-election. | |
| align=left | Douglas E. Foster | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 1927 – June 30, 1929 | Elected in 1927. Lost re-election. | |
| align=left | Thomas W. Williams | Socialist | nowrap | July 1, 1929 – April 13, 1931 | Elected in 1929. Died. | |
| Vacant | nowrap | April 13, 1931 – June 3, 1931 | ||||
| align=left | Thomas F. Ford | Democratic | nowrap | June 3, 1931 – March 1, 1933 | Elected and appointed to finish Williams's term. Resigned when elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. | |
| Vacant | nowrap | March 1, 1933 – March 17, 1933 | ||||
| align=left | James T. Carroll | Democratic | nowrap | March 17, 1933 – June 30, 1933 | Appointed, then elected to finish Ford's term. Not a candidate in the next election. | |
| align=left | John W. Baumgartner | Democratic | nowrap | July 1, 1933 – June 30, 1945 | Elected in 1933. Re-elected in 1937. Re-elected in 1941. Re-elected in 1943. Retired. | |
| align=left rowspan=2 | Ed J. Davenport | Democratic | July 1, 1945 – June 24, 1953 | Elected in 1945. Re-elected in 1947. Re-elected in 1949. Re-elected in 1951. Died. | ||
| Republican | ||||||
| Vacant | nowrap | June 24, 1953 – September 1, 1953 | ||||
| align=left | Harriett Davenport | Independent | nowrap | September 1, 1953 – June 30, 1955 | Appointed to finish her husband's term. Retired. | |
| align=left | Ransom M. Callicott | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 1955 – November 14, 1962 | Elected in 1955. Re-elected in 1959. Died. | |
| Vacant | nowrap | November 14, 1962 – December 7, 1962 | ||||
| align=left | John P. Cassidy | Republican | nowrap | December 7, 1962 – June 30, 1967 | Appointed to finish Callicott's term. Elected in 1963. Re-elected in 1965. Lost re-election. | |
| align=left | Robert M. Wilkinson | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 1967 – June 30, 1979 | Elected in 1967. Re-elected in 1969. Re-elected in 1971. Re-elected in 1975. Retired. | |
| align=left | Hal Bernson | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 1979 – June 30, 2003 | Elected in 1979. Re-elected in 1983. Re-elected in 1987. Re-elected in 1991. Re-elected in 1985. Re-elected in 1999. Retired. | |
| align=left | Greig Smith | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2011 | Elected in 2003. Re-elected in 2007. Retired. | |
| align=left | Mitchell Englander | Republican | nowrap | July 1, 2011 – December 31, 2018 | Elected in 2011. Elected in 2015. Resigned. | |
| Vacant | nowrap | December 31, 2018 – January 15, 2019 | ||||
| align=left | Greig Smith | Republican | nowrap | January 15, 2019 – August 23, 2019 | Appointed to serve until next election. Retired. | |
| align=left rowspan=2 | John Lee | Republican | nowrap rowspan=2 | August 30, 2019 – present | Elected to finish Englander's term. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2024. | |
| Independent | ||||||