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1993 Los Angeles mayoral election

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1993 Los Angeles mayoral election

← 1989 April 20, 1993 (1993-04-20) and June 8, 1993 (1993-06-08) 1997 →
 
Candidate Richard Riordan Michael Woo Joel Wachs
First round 158,527
33.42%
113,913
24.01%
52,221
11.01%
Runoff 314,559
53.94%
268,137
46.06%
Eliminated

 
Candidate Richard Katz Linda Griego
First round 46,163
9.73%
34,227
7.22%
Runoff Eliminated Eliminated

Mayor before election

Tom Bradley

Elected Mayor

Richard Riordan

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.

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

Election

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After 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

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Primary election

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Los Angeles mayoral primary election, April 20, 1993[11]
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

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Los Angeles mayoral general election, June 8, 1993[12]
Candidate Votes %
Richard Riordan 314,559 53.94
Michael Woo 268,137 46.06
Total votes 582,696 100.00

References and footnotes

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  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. ^ "Pack of 52 enters LA mayor race". Santa Cruz Sentinel. January 27, 1993.
  4. ^ "Candidates turn up noses at biggest perk of them all". The San Bernardino Sun. March 22, 1993.
  5. ^ "L.A. Mayor Race Offers Choice As Riordan, Woo, Woo Voters". Bay Area Reporter. April 15, 1993.
  6. ^ Tugend, Tom (June 4, 1993). "Jews split on candidates in L.A. mayoral race". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  7. ^ "Riordan, Woo spar on eve of LA vote". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 8, 1993.
  8. ^ "LA mayoral race seen as ideological battle". Santa Cruz Sentinel. April 22, 1993.
  9. ^ Katz, Lesie (June 11, 1993). "Jews help put Republican mayor into office in L.A." J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  10. ^ Ocamb, Karen (June 17, 1993). "Riordan Wins L.A. Mayor's Race, Promises To Make Gay Appointments". Bay Area Reporter.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Mayor - Primary". Our Campaigns.
  12. ^ "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.
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