1997 Los Angeles mayoral election

U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate
	1849; 1850; 1852 sp; 1856; 1857 sp; 1860; 1860 sp; 1868; 1872; 1873; 1873 sp; 1878; 1880; 1885; 1886 sp; 1887; 1891; 1891 sp; 1893; 1895 sp; 1897; 1900 sp; 1903; 1905; 1909; 1911; 1914; 1916; 1920; 1922; 1926; 1928; 1932; 1934; 1938; 1940; 1944; 1946; 1946 sp; 1950; 1952; 1954 sp; 1956; 1958; 1962; 1964; 1968; 1970; 1974; 1976; 1980; 1982; 1986; 1988; 1992; 1992 sp; 1994; 1998; 2000; 2004; 2006; 2010; 2012; 2016; 2018; 2022; 2022 sp; 2024; 2024 sp; 2028;

U.S. President
U.S. President
	1852; 1856; 1860; 1864; 1868; 1872; 1876; 1880; 1884; 1888; 1892; 1896; 1900; 1904; 1908; 1912; 1916; 1920; 1924; 1928; 1932; 1936; 1940; 1944; 1948; 1952; 1956; 1960; 1964; 1968; 1972; 1976; 1980; 1984; 1988; 1992; 1996 Dem; Rep; ; 2000 Dem; Rep; ; 2004 Dem; Rep; ; 2008 Dem; Rep; ; 2012 Dem; Rep; ; 2016 Dem; Rep; ; 2020 Dem; Rep; ; 2024 Dem; Rep; ;

1997 Los Angeles mayoral election
Turnout	31.71%
Mayor before election; Richard Riordan;	Elected Mayor ; Richard Riordan;

The 1997 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on April 8, 1997. Incumbent Richard Riordan won re-election against California State Senator and activist Tom Hayden.^[1] As of 2023, this is the most recent time a Republican was elected Mayor of Los Angeles.^[2]

Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.^[3]

Election

Hayden criticized Riordan for ignoring the environment and for not debating with him while Riordan criticized Hayden for his voting record as a State Senator.^[4]^[5] Polls showed Riordan leading Hayden, with most of his support being from white people and Republicans.^[6] The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor pulled their support from Riordan and took a neutral stance for the two.^[7] In the election, Riordan won outright against Hayden and three other candidates.^[8]

Results

Los Angeles mayoral general election, April 8, 1997^[9]^[10]
Candidate	Votes	%
Richard Riordan (incumbent)	250,771	61.49
Tom Hayden	140,648	34.49
Candido J. Marez	5,852	1.43
Leonard Shapiro	5,454	1.33
Craig A. Honts	5,065	1.24
Total votes	407,790	100.00

References and footnotes

^ Clifford, Frank (June 9, 1993). "Riordan Wins Mayor's Race : Four New Members Elected to City Council : Election: Republican victor says he wants to bring business back to city and make it 'safe and friendly.' A new majority coalition emerges among electorate". Los Angeles Times.
^ Newton, Jim (2016). "CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS: WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?". UCLA Blueprint.
^ "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF). League of Women Voters.
^ Martin, Hugo (February 8, 1997). "Hayden Says Riordan Has Ignored Environment: Campaign: Challenger gets Sierra Club endorsement as mayor criticizes his voting record in Sacramento". Los Angeles Times.
^ Wilgoren, Jodi (March 21, 1997). "Hayden Uses Cutout to Rip Riordan: Politics: Challenger employs image to portray mayor as being silent on key issues and reluctant to debate. Riordan says he's busy running city". Los Angeles Times.
^ "Good Numbers Aren't Enough: Riordan shines in a poll, but the office demands far more of him". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 1997.
^ Stuart, SIlverstein; Newton, Jim (March 13, 1997). "Labor Might Pull Riordan Endorsement: Politics: Leaders are now expected to take neutral stance in contest between incumbent and Tom Hayden". Los Angeles Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "Riordan Is Re-elected Los Angeles Mayor". The New York Times. April 9, 1997.
^ "City of Los Angeles Primary Nomination Final - Official Election Results". Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles.
^ "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.

External links

Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles

[1] Clifford, Frank (June 9, 1993). "Riordan Wins Mayor's Race : Four New Members Elected to City Council : Election: Republican victor says he wants to bring business back to city and make it 'safe and friendly.' A new majority coalition emerges among electorate". Los Angeles Times.

[2] Newton, Jim (2016). "CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS: WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?". UCLA Blueprint.

[nonpartisan-3] "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF). League of Women Voters.

[4] Martin, Hugo (February 8, 1997). "Hayden Says Riordan Has Ignored Environment: Campaign: Challenger gets Sierra Club endorsement as mayor criticizes his voting record in Sacramento". Los Angeles Times.

[5] Wilgoren, Jodi (March 21, 1997). "Hayden Uses Cutout to Rip Riordan: Politics: Challenger employs image to portray mayor as being silent on key issues and reluctant to debate. Riordan says he's busy running city". Los Angeles Times.

[6] "Good Numbers Aren't Enough: Riordan shines in a poll, but the office demands far more of him". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 1997.

[7] Stuart, SIlverstein; Newton, Jim (March 13, 1997). "Labor Might Pull Riordan Endorsement: Politics: Leaders are now expected to take neutral stance in contest between incumbent and Tom Hayden". Los Angeles Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[8] "Riordan Is Re-elected Los Angeles Mayor". The New York Times. April 9, 1997.

[9] "City of Los Angeles Primary Nomination Final - Official Election Results". Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles.

[10] "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

v t e (1996 ←) 1997 United States elections (→ 1998)
U.S. House	New Mexico 3rd sp New York 13th sp Texas 28th sp
Governors	New Jersey Virginia Lt. Gov
State legislatures	New Jersey Senate Virginia House
Mayors	Albuquerque, NM Allentown, PA Anchorage, AK Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Boston, MA Buffalo, NY Cleveland, OH Colorado Springs, CO (special) Des Moines, IA (special) Detroit, MI Durham, NC Fort Lauderdale, FL Hartford, CT Houston, TX Los Angeles, CA Madison, WI (special) Manchester, NH Miami, FL New York City, NY Omaha, NE Pittsburgh, PA Raleigh, NC Riverside, CA Rochester, NY St. Louis, MO Springfield, MA Tallahassee, FL Worcester, MA

v t e Elections and referendums in Los Angeles
Mayoral	1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 March 1909 November 1909 1911 1913 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1929 1933 1937 1938 1941 1945 1949 1953 1957 1961 1965 1969 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2022
City Attorney	2009
Referendums	Proposition A (1980) Proposition U (1986) Measure R (2008) Measure J (2012) Measure M (2016) Measure B (2012) Measure S (2017)