2005 Los Angeles mayoral election

← 2001 March 8, 2005 (2005-03-08) (primary) May 17, 2005 (2005-05-17) (runoff) 2009 →
Turnout	33.94%
Candidate Antonio Villaraigosa James Hahn First round 136,242 33.10% 97,049 23.58% Runoff 289,116 58.63% 203,968 41.37%   Candidate Robert Hertzberg Bernard C. Parks First round 90,495 21.99% 55,808 13.56% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated
First round results by city council district Runoff results by city council district Villaraigosa:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Hahn:     30–40%     40–50%
Mayor before election James Hahn ElectedMayor Antonio Villaraigosa

The2005 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on March 8, 2005, with a run-off election on May 17, 2005. In a rematch of the2001 election,CouncilmanAntonio Villaraigosa defeated the sitting mayor,James Hahn, becoming the city's firstHispanic mayor since the 19th century.^[1]

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

PhilanthropistEli Broad endorsed Hahn. State SenatorGil Cedillo, CouncilmanEric Garcetti, and CouncilmanCindy Miscikowski, who all endorsed Villaraigosa in 2001, switched sides and endorsed Hahn.^[3]

GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger promised Hahn that he would not participate in the election. As such, Schwarzenegger did not endorse any candidates, however he has expressed broad support for Hertzberg's plan to break up theLos Angeles Unified School District. His Education Secretary, and former mayor of Los Angeles,Richard Riordan campaigned heavily for Hertzberg.^[4]

Although Villaraigosa garnered the plurality of votes in the general election, his lack of an outright majority forced a special election between him and the incumbent Hahn. With less than 34% of registered voters participating, Villaraigosa won the runoff.

With his election, Villaraigosa became the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles since 1872.^[3] Hahn became the first incumbent to lose re-election in 32 years sinceSam Yorty lost toTom Bradley in the1973 Los Angeles mayoral election.^[6]

• Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles

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• Mayoral elections in Los Angeles
• 2005 United States mayoral elections

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