Expansion of City Council is urged

The size of the Los Angeles City Council should increase from 15 to 25 seats, the city's Charter Reform Commission recommended Thursday.

- BY MELISSA GOMEZ

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times THE L.A. City Council has had 15 members since 1925, when the city had fewer than 600,000 residents. Above, a council meeting in 2024.

In a 9-2 vote, the commission backed the council expansion, with supporters saying that smaller ethnic groups, including Black, Asian American and Pacific Islander residents, would be better represented.

The council has consisted of 15 members since 1925, when the city had fewer than 600,000 residents, compared with 3.9 million today.

"I think we owe the people of Los Angeles to walk out of this room saying that we are a commission that's concerned about equity, that we are a commission that is concerned about Black and AAPI folks who live in this city," said Commissioner James M. Thomas, who supported the expansion.

The commission also recommended ranked-choice voting, in which voters list candidates in the order of preference, for municipal elections beginning in 2032.

The city also should establish a new position, chief financial officer, which would essentially be a title change for what is now called the city administrative officer, the commission recommended.

[Expansion, from B1] By April 2, the commission, which has been meeting since last July, must send all its recommendations to the City Council on changes to the city's governing charter. The council will then vote on which changes will go before city voters as ballot measures in November.