Elected on 14-0 vote
Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson (Eighth District) has been elected president of the Los Angeles City Council. In a 14-0 vote, with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez absent, the council selected Harris-Dawson as the next council president, which he will assume on Sept. 20.
Mark Ramos, chair of the Los Angeles Democratic Committee, said, “Congratulations to Marqueece Harris-Dawson on being elected as the new president of the Los Angeles City Council. Beyond his legislative accomplishments, his admirable dedication to building community and fostering collaborative solutions exemplifies true leadership.”
On May 24, Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Heather Hutt nominated Harris-Dawson after current Council President Paul Kerkorian announced plans to step down. Kerkorian is leaving City Hall at the end of the year because of term limits.
“Thank you so much council president, thank you all members of the council, and everybody that was advised, pushed, cajoled and struggled with us over the past few months to get to this particular day,” Harris-Dawson said. “A special thank you to Council President Kerkorian who has made every resource available so we could have a smoother transition as possible.”
According to city officials, Harris-Dawson is expected to serve as council president through the middle of December. Following November’s election and once new council members assume their respective offices, another election will take place to elect a president for a new term.
As president, Harris-Dawson will preside as chair over council meetings, have the power to assign council, committees and handle parliamentary duties such as ruling motions out of order.
“Councilmember Harris-Dawson’s leadership, vision and temperament have consistently stood out in his tenure on the Council,” Yaroslavsky said. “His ability to build coalitions across L.A.’s diverse communities demonstrates a commitment to collaboration that is crucial for our city’s future. As we envision the next chapter for Los Angeles, I am confident that Councilmember Harris-Dawsons’s presidency will build upon the strong foundation laid by Council President Krekorian.”
Harris-Dawson, 54, was elected in 2015 to represent the Eighth District, covering the neighborhoods of Baldwin Hills, Chesterfield Square, Crenshaw and Jefferson Park, among others.
