Los Angeles's 12th City Council district
Los Angeles’s 12th City Council district is one of the city’s 15 council districts. It is represented by independent John Lee, who has held the seat since 2019 after finishing Mitchell Englander’s term. Lee is the only Independent on the nonpartisan City Council and was previously a Republican like many of his predecessors.
The district was created in 1925 when Los Angeles switched from an at‑large system to district representation. It originally covered downtown Los Angeles before being moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1964. Until recently, the seat was held by Republicans and was considered a Republican stronghold in a predominantly Democratic city. It is the second largest district, after the 11th.
The district includes the northwestern San Fernando Valley communities of Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, West Hills, North Hills, and Reseda. It lies entirely within California’s 32nd congressional district, the 27th State Senate district, and overlaps the 38th and 45th State Assembly districts.
From 1925 to 1964 the district covered parts of northwest Downtown Los Angeles, Bunker Hill, and Westlake, with changing boundaries over the years. In 1964 the council discussed moving the district to the growing northwest San Fernando Valley, and the move was made.
Population and registration data (roughly): about 262,032 people in 2020, with 161,523 registered voters in 2017. Party registration is 44% Democratic, 24% Republican, and 32% with no party preference. Racial makeup is roughly 47.7% White, 28.1% Hispanic, 4.3% Black, 16.4% Asian, and 0.5% other.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:18 (CET).