If you’re reading this guide, you’re probably figuring out how to best engage in Los Angeles. Local governments have immense power over your daily life — almost every facet of how you live, work, play, and travel. The policy implications in Los Angeles County alone impacts 10 million people, which is larger than the population of 42 other states.

Political engagement is important. Maybe the Black Lives Matters uprising pushed you to finally confront the institutionalized racism and violence that has a centuries long history here in LA. Perhaps you’re appalled by the ever growing crisis of homelessness, displacement, and skyrocketing housing costs. Angered by the criminalization of street vendors and the exploitation of workers. Frustrated with a transportation system that is stranding millions of Angelenos on hot sidewalks and jam-packed buses. Upset by the underfunded public schools struggling to carry out their mission and especially failing the vast majority of Black and Latinx students. Anxious that we’re not doing everything possible to fight climate change. 

Local government has the power to make real change on every single one of these issues. In some cases, federal legislation and resources would make a huge difference. But in others, like policing, transportation, and housing construction, much of the power is local. Together, we can transform local systems that entrench inequity so that we actually live up to our progressive reputation.

LA’s progressive reputation does not match the reality on the ground. The policymaking systems struggle to respond to the region’s needs and typically advantage the wealthy and powerful over ordinary Angelenos while failing Black, indigenous, and immigrant communities in particular. We have systems of political representation which were designed to serve a population a hundred times smaller, fragmented government structures that have entrenched segregation, and policymaking processes which inhibit meaningful public deliberation and input, especially by working class and poor Angelenos.

All 10 million people in the County are governed by the Board of Supervisors, where each one of the five members represent 2 million people, plus a popularly elected District Attorney and Sheriff. LA County is one of the most powerful local governments in the United States and almost nobody who lives here knows the name of their Supervisor, much less how the system actually works.

The City of Los Angeles has only 15 Council Members who each represent more than 270,000 people each. The Mayor, City Attorney, and City Controller represent everyone in the City. Yet in the last municipal elections, only 20% of registered voters cast a ballot. That means only 400,000 Angelenos chose the elected officials for four million people.

The same is true for many of the 87 other cities in LA County, where small minorities of residents — alongside political insiders and well-funded special interest groups — are able to set the agenda and back up their priorities with the power of the law and government funding.