Los Angeles County District Attorney election, 2024 (March 5 nonpartisan primary)
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| 2024 Los Angeles County elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: December 8, 2023 |
| Primary election: March 5, 2024 General election: November 5, 2024 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: District attorney |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2024 |
Incumbent George Gascón and Nathan Hochman advanced from the nonpartisan primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney on March 5, 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. As of March 20, 2024, Gascón had 24.4% of the primary vote and Hochman had 16.4%. Click here for more on the general election.
Five candidates led in endorsements and local media attention: incumbent George Gascón, Jeff Chemerinsky, Jonathan Hatami, Nathan Hochman, and Eric Siddall.
According to LAist, the election was "expected to be closely watched across the country as a barometer of how the public is feeling about criminal justice reforms amid an increase in property crime. Property crime is up 17.4% in the city of L.A. so far this year compared to two years ago...Violent crime is down 1.3% year to date from two years ago."[1]
Gascón was elected in 2020 on a platform of not seeking the death penalty, limiting the imposition of cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, and "stopping the practice of imposing excessive sentences".[2][3] Gascón said his policies had made county residents safer and he would keep them in place if re-elected: "The reality is that having thoughtful policies that hold people accountable, as we have, sending people to prison when they need to be locked up, but recognizing that prison cannot be the only one answer is what public safety is all about."[4] Before his election as Los Angeles County District Attorney, Gascón served eight years as San Francisco District Attorney. He earlier served as chief of police in San Francisco and in Mesa, Arizona.[5]
Chemerinsky was a former federal prosecutor, serving for nine years in the Central District of California before resigning to run for district attorney.[6] Like Gascón, Chemerinsky said he opposed the death penalty and supported "criminal justice reform, because mass incarceration simply does not work". Chemerinsky said he would prioritize public safety more than Gascón. Chemerinsky criticized Gascón for Gascón's opposition to sentencing enhancements—laws that increase the potential sentence allowed for a crime based on specific aggravating factors—in crimes involving firearms. Chemerinsky said his experience would help him make structural changes to the office.[7]
Hatami had been, at the time of the election, a deputy district attorney since 2006. Hatami said he was the first prosecutor to publicly speak out against Gascón after Hatami was ordered to strike information Hatami had included in Hatami's prosecution of a murder case.[8] Hatami said he was a compassionate prosecutor, supporting rehabilitation rather than punishing criminals, but only when balanced with public safety. Hatami said his background as a survivor of child abuse and the son of an immigrant motivated him to prioritize access to justice for all county residents.[9]
Hochman was, at the time of the election, a defense attorney and former federal prosecutor.[10] Hochman said Gascón had put his policies ahead of public safety and that Hochman would prioritize public safety and victims' rights over reducing the length of sentences.[11][12] Hochman said his public and private legal experience would help him change the direction of the district attorney's office.[10]
Siddall was, at the time of the election, a deputy district attorney assigned to prosecuting violent crimes. In his former role as vice president of the county prosecutors' union, Siddall said he successfully sued Gascón over Gascón's prohibition on sentencing enhancements, allowing prosecutors to again seek higher sentences in crimes with specific aggravating factors. Siddall supported encouraging rehabilitation of criminals and measures to promote public safety.[13] Siddall said he would prioritize hiring 300 new prosecutors to clear the backlog of cases and reduce the crime rate.[14]
Although the election was nonpartisan, Gascón, Chemerinsky, Hatami, and Siddall are registered Democrats and Hochman is an independent.[15][16][17][18]
If one candidate had received more than 50% of the vote, that candidate would have won the election outright. Local political observers said Gascón's chances of winning a general election depended on which other candidate advanced alongside him. According to CalMatters, "Gascón’s best chance for survival probably rests on one of his more conservative challengers, Jonathan Hatami or Nathan Hochman, making it to the runoff...If either Siddall or Chemerinsky made the runoff against Gascón, the contender would have ample room to find votes in the center, leaving Gascón with little space to expand his narrow base."[19]
Also running in the primary were Debra Archuleta, Daniel Kapelovitz, Lloyd Masson, John McKinney, David Sherman Milton, Craig Mitchell, and Maria Ramirez.
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan), Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan), Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan), Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan), Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan), John McKinney (Nonpartisan), Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan), and Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
Los Angeles County also held nonpartisan elections for board of supervisors, community college districts, water districts, and superior court judges in 2024. Click here for an overview of those elections and here for more on the general election for district attorney.
Candidates and election results
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney
The following candidates ran in the primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | George Gascón (Nonpartisan) | 25.2 | 370,654 |
| ✔ |  | Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)  | 15.9 | 234,509 |
 | Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan) | 13.2 | 194,755 | |
 | Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan) | 8.5 | 125,306 | |
 | Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan) | 7.9 | 116,064 | |
 | Maria Ramirez (Nonpartisan) | 7.1 | 105,088 | |
 | John McKinney (Nonpartisan) | 6.0 | 87,903 | |
 | Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan) | 5.6 | 82,993 | |
 | David Sherman Milton (Nonpartisan) | 4.3 | 63,044 | |
| Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan) | 3.0 | 44,326 | |
 | Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan) | 2.0 | 29,306 | |
 | Daniel Kapelovitz (Nonpartisan) | 1.2 | 17,622 | |
| Total votes: 1,471,570 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
What was the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: March 5, 2024.[20]
- By mail: Postmarked by February 19, 2024.
- Online: February 19, 2024.
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline? California law provides for automatic, universal voting by mail. Local election officials automatically deliver mail-in ballots to all registered voters without the need for a request. Voters are permitted to cast votes in person.
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- In-person: 8:00PM Pacific Time on March 5, 2024.
- By mail: Postmarked by March 5, 2024, and received by March 12, 2024.
Was early voting available to all voters? Yes.
What were the early voting start and end dates? Early voting was available at the county election office headquarters in Norwalk starting on February 5, 2024, and running through Election Day on March 5, 2024.[21]
Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? Under California law, voters may be asked to show identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number when registering. The list of acceptable forms of identification includes both photo and non-photo IDs.
When were polls open on Election Day? Polls opened at 7:00AM Pacific Time on Election Day and closed at 8:00PM Pacific Time.
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- Los Angeles County District Attorney (Assumed office: 2020)
- San Francisco District Attorney (2011-2019)
Biography: Gascón graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a bachelor's degree in history and obtained his law degree from Western State University College of Law. After serving in the U.S. Army, Gascón joined the Los Angeles Police Department as a patrol officer, eventually becoming assistant chief of police. Gascón left the department to become the chief of police in Mesa, Arizona, in 2006. In 2009, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Gascón chief of police in San Francisco.
Show sources
Sources: George Gascón campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 11, 2024, George Gascón campaign website, "District Attorney George Gascón Kicks Off 2024 Reelection Campaign," November 21, 2023, ABC 7, "LA County race for district attorney: Gascón faces off with candidates in Democratic debate," November 16, 2023; George Gascón campaign website, "Meet George," accessed January 11, 2024
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a wife, mother, domestic violence survivor, former Deputy District Attorney for 26 years, and elected Superior Court Judge for the past 7 years. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "An experienced United States Attorney, I'm running for District Attorney to make our communities safer, reform our criminal justice system, and bring new leadership to the D.A.’s office. I served as Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime section of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. I have never lost a case, and personally prosecuted cases involving murder, sex trafficking, firearms trafficking, corruption, and sex assault offenses. I won convictions of more than 30 members of the MS-13 gang, including the leader of MS-13 in Los Angeles, and the leader of the East Coast Crips. I also led federal robbery prosecutions for the office, partnering with local law enforcement agencies to win convictions in many major organized retail theft cases. As part of my commitment to upholding justice, I strongly believe in criminal justice reform because mass incarceration does not work. In addition to his trial experience, I bring significant management experience overseeing a large team of attorneys and staff for the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, which is the largest federal judicial district in the nation, serving 19 million people living in Los Angeles and six other Southern California counties. I have received numerous awards for my service, including the U.S. Department of Justice's Director's Award – the DOJ’s second highest honor. I'm from LA and my wife Kim and I are fortunate to raise our three kids here."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I spent almost my entire adult life serving the public, first in the US Army and now a prosecutor in the LA County DA's office for the past 17 1/2 years. I’m currently assigned to the Complex Child Abuse unit, and every day I fight for justice for abused, neglected and murdered children. I graduated from high school and then enlisted in the US Army, serving 7 years active duty first in the Infantry (11B) and eventually achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Military Police Corp (95B). During my time in the military, I personally led and supervised numerous soldiers as a squad leader, platoon sergeant, and MP staff sergeant. I was raised poor, by a single working mom, and after being honorably discharged, I returned to LA and paid my own way through junior college, state university and law school using the GI Bill, Pell grants and financial aid. I have handled thousands of child physical and sexual abuse cases, domestic violence, hate crimes, elder abuse, sex-trafficking, torture and complex homicides. In 2016, I was named prosecutor of the year by the Antelope Valley Bar Association. In 2019, I was named prosecutor of the year by the Los Angeles County Bar Association. I have prosecuted over 80 jury trials including the 4-month trial of the torture and murder of Gabriel Fernandez which became a 6-part Netflix documentary “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” released in 2020. In 2023, I successfully prosecuted the murderers of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a lifelong Angelino, who was born, grew up, educated, married, and raised 3 children– all in Los Angeles County. I have chosen to stay and fight for the LA County community I love. Our current DA has instituted policies and taken actions that have made us less safe, destroyed morale in the DA’s office, endangered the DA’s partnership with law enforcement, and damaged the DA’s Office’s credibility with victims and the public. I am running to remove politics from prosecutorial decisions and restore independence, honesty, and integrity to the DA’s Office to prevent crime, protect public safety, and ensure justice is served to all LA County residents. Unlike the current DA who has never prosecuted or defended a single criminal case in his entire life, I have prosecuted over 100 cases as a federal prosecutor. I have also defended over 200 criminal cases. In addition, I was presidentially nominated, unanimously Senate confirmed as the U.S. Assistant Attorney General running the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Tax Division; served as the President of the L.A. City Ethics Commission; led two major international law firms’ government investigations practices; and co-founded the L.A. Sheriff’s Foundation. With over 34 years’ criminal justice experience on all sides of the aisle and proven leadership experience with government, private practice, and community organizations, I can restore public safety, the partnership with law enforcement, and the DA’s Office’s reputation from Day One."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I’m the lead prosecutor of a county wide cold case unit from the biggest county in the US. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I grew up in Passaic, New Jersey, a high-crime, working-class city. By the time I was five years old, my parents had passed away, and I was raised by my older sister, who had three children of her own. As a teenager, I lived through the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and saw many friends die from drug use or went to jail for selling. I credit the values and discipline instilled in me by my sister for enabling me to avoid falling victim to the easy money from drug dealing, and instead, I enrolled in college. But, after only one year, I dropped out and entered the working world, doing everything from fast-food prep to hammering steel into truck springs as a blacksmith. Eventually, I realized that the road to his success would be through education. I graduated from Rutgers University and ultimately from UCLA Law School, which landed me in Los Angeles. In 1998, I was hired by the LA County DA’s Office. I was eventually assigned to the elite Major Crimes Unit, where I served for 10 years, handling jury trials involving a broad array of violent crimes, including child and adult sex crimes, child and elder abuse, and gang murders - many with national media attention. In all, I have tried nearly 40 murder cases. “I gave a small piece of myself to each one. Every killer I prosecuted was convicted. Every victim’s humanity was affirmed in the courtroom.”"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
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Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I have served as a criminal court judge for almost 20 years. Prior to becoming a judge I was a Los Angeles County prosecutor for 11 years. Prior to entering the law, I was a high school teacher in South Los Angeles for 17 years. 13 years ago I founded the Skid Row Running Club, a program that provides a supportive community for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. This life experience has given me a grass-roots understanding of the wonderful diversity of Los Angeles, what enables a person to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential, and what measures are needed to ensure public safety."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "As a violent crime prosecutor, I took down violent street gangs, got guns off our streets, and put cop killers, sexual predators, and other dangerous criminals behind bars. Now, I am running for L.A. County District Attorney to reform the D.A.’s office and lead a new generation of prosecutors. As a career prosecutor, I know what it takes to put dangerous and violent criminals behind bars and keep our neighborhoods safe. Partnering with both state and federal law enforcement, we disrupted violent crime and took down violent street gangs that committed dozens of murders, including MS-13. In my current assignment, prosecuting crimes against police officers, I convicted gang members of attempted murders against law enforcement and successfully prosecuted a cop killer. As a leader of the union representing line prosecutors in the DA's Office, I have been at the forefront of improving public safety, while simultaneously advocating for sustainable, responsible reforms. My approach is rooted in empowering frontline prosecutors, prioritizing public safety, and fostering a collaborative environment with local community groups and law enforcement. I have the institutional knowledge to reform the district attorney’s office while keeping the public safe. I have collaborated with every major federal and state law enforcement agency and have served on the board of Justice For Murdered Children and as the former VP of the Latino Prosecutors Association."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2024.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Under my administration, victims will receive their day in court in a fair and timely manner. I will seek to restore critical law enforcement partnerships so that these agencies will respond to calls and present cases to the DA's Office for filing consideration. I will restore the Office's headcount to clear the backlog of 14,000 cases that currently leaves both victims and defendants in limbo. DAs will once again be allowed to advocate on behalf of victims including, but not limited to, appearing at parole board hearings, if necessary. I will work to eliminate blanket policies because the current "one-size-fits-all" approach to criminal justice does not work.
It is inhumane to allow people to live under tarps and tents on the streets of LA County, particularly when many homeless Angelenos are women and children. As DA, I pledge to meaningfully address crime committed both by and against people living on the streets. “Justice for all” means swiftly intervening when violent criminals commit armed assault, human trafficking, sex crimes, and more within homeless encampments, just as the DA would for crimes committed in wealthy neighborhoods. Further, I will advocate for mandatory drug treatment programs when appropriate, and I will prosecute drug dealers. I will also advocate for treatment that better serves the needs of mentally ill defendants, including alternatives such as CARE Court.
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
- Prioritize the prosecution of gun crimes and firearm trafficking to keep our neighborhoods safe.
- Use the role of District Attorney to promote strong and sensible gun policies nationwide.
- Prosecute "smash and grab" robberies to protect the public, workers, and businesses.
- Ensure zero tolerance for public corruption.
- Enhance the office’s civil rights prosecutions. Ensure constitutional treatment of those who have law enforcement encounters, and of those who exercise the right to protest.
I will also prioritize criminal justice reform, because mass incarceration does not work. That includes:
- Promoting alternative sentencing options, when appropriate, including restorative justice courts and diversion programs.
- Increasing education and rehabilitative programs in the jails to provide an off ramp away from the criminal justice system to those who want and need it.
- Advancing policing reforms and ensure law enforcement is held accountable when there is misconduct.
- Promoting community safety partnerships between law enforcement and neighborhood leaders and institutions.
- Bringing together stakeholders in the criminal justice system to find common ground to address the biggest challenges we face, including mental health.
I elected, I will bring new leadership to the DA's office, by:
- ending the infighting and dysfunction in the DA’s office, by providing new leadership, and advance guidelines, policies and initiatives in a collaborative way with the office’s talented and experienced prosecutors and staff.
- improving hiring and retention to fill the hundreds of vacancies of prosecutors and improve office morale.
Ensure the DA’s office and its leadership reflects the diversity of LA County.
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
I will be a DA who prioritizes public safety, prosecutes violent crime, but also has a heart for our community. I will protect children, families and vulnerable victims; provide equal justice for all; follow and enforce the law; fairly charge allegations, special circumstances, and enhancements which we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt; case-by-case thorough and fair analysis of criminal cases instead of blanket policies or a one size fits all approach; prosecute fentanyl dealers, gun violence, organized retail theft and street takeovers; non-violent mental health, addiction, homeless and veteran’s issues will be towards rehabilitation first by supporting veteran’s court, collaborative courts, diversion and care courts.
2. Transparency, Accountability and Real Reforms.
A truly transparent DA’s office that holds wrongdoers accountable for their crime, but also works for the community, holds politicians and law enforcement equally accountable if they commit crimes, prioritizes public safety, prosecutes violent crime, collaborates with law enforcement and includes them on our justice team, and also institutes and promotes rehabilitation and reforms for our mental health community, drug & alcohol disease community, homeless & veteran’s community and the juvenile justice system.
Support Victims and Survivors and Ensure professional opportunity and a stable and caring workplace for all employees of LADA by:
• Hiring more Prosecutors, DA Investigators and Support staff • Promoting more Prosecutors, DA Investigators and Support Staff • Obtaining more employee parking, better working conditions, and work-from home accommodations, • Hiring a more diverse workforce • Hiring more victim advocates and supporting victims of crime and Marsy’s Law by fully attending parole hearings • Creating more programs for mental health issues, drug and alcohol disease issues, juvenile justice, diversion, homeless and veterans.
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Fentanyl: Fentanyl, a drug 50 times stronger than heroin, is responsible for over half of drug overdose deaths in LA County and is murdering hundreds of children a year. It kills indiscriminately across political, geographic, racial, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic lines. Gascón has failed to treat fentanyl poisoners, including serial offenders, as murderers or even adopt the “Alexandra warning” to be given to convicted fentanyl dealers that if they do the crime again and someone dies, they may be charged with murder. On Day One, I will launch a massive local-state-federal task force to combat fentanyl poisoners and simultaneously launch a huge educational effort targeted to children and their parents on the perils of fentanyl.
Homelessness: The homelessness crisis is one of the most visible failures of leadership. The DA’s Office needs to change the trajectory of addressing LA’s homeless challenges by partnering with law enforcement, municipal agencies, the CARE courts, non-profit organizations, as well as local stakeholders and community leaders, to work on effective programs to help break the spiraling downward cycle of the homeless, over 70% of whom suffer from serious mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or both.
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Make LA County residents feel safe again in LA.
Get LA safe and clean for the 2028 Olympics.
John McKinney (Nonpartisan)
Prioritize Victims' Rights
Ensure Accountability and Promote Proportional Justice
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Sanctions for criminal conduct must be imposed after a careful review of the facts that gave rise to a case, the characteristics of the perpetrator, and the impact the crime had upon the victim. No two crimes are identical. No two perpetrators are identical. Repeat offenders obviously need to be treated differently than those with no criminal history.
Addiction and mental illness must be addressed. These conditions are at the root of most5 property crimes and many crimes of violence. These conditions also account for the high recidivism rates that exist. I will work tirelessly to ensure that effective programs and monitoring take place to break the cycle of criminality.
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
We will expand the homeless court model developed by Redondo Beach City Attorney Mike Webb. This model provides a path to ensure that the unhoused receive the necessary resources from the most basic, like identification cards so that they can apply for services, to tacking more complex problems like mental health and drug rehabilitation, and providing supportive housing. The final goal is permanent housing. While this will not eliminate our homelessness crisis, this model is a manner in which the DA's office can proactively engage in a productive way.
If we want to effectively deal with the mentally ill who are violent, we need to build a mental health infrastructure. For more than a decade, a plan to build critical and safe treatment facilities has gone nowhere because no one has shown the political courage to move it forward. As a result, Los Angeles County does not have the infrastructure to humanely treat the mentally ill. I will make this a priority and lead the charge to build a new County facility 3500-bed facility to house and treat violent individuals with mental health conditions, instead of relying on jails or releasing them back into the community.
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
I have fought to protect children by drafting, proposing and testifying on behalf of legislation which provided restitution for counseling, mental health services and noneconomic damages for child victims of sexual abuse. A bill based on my proposal became law in California in 2018.
I have also been a victim and survivor of crime. I was the victim of child abuse and a parental kidnapping. I know what it feels like to be victimized and powerless. I am now a survivor. That is why I am supported by thousands of victims, survivors and surviving families. I will fight for them and make sure everyone in Los Angeles receives equal justice under the law.
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
John McKinney (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
"Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence--and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets" by Thomas Abt. This book cuts through ideology and examines practices that work to reduce crime. As a violent crimes prosecutor, I have witnessed first hand how and why the strategy outlined by Abt works.
"Gradual: The Case for Incremental Change in a Radical Age" by Greg Berman, Aubrey Fox. One of my most forcible arguments about why George Gascón must be replaced is his failure in leadership. In Gradual, the authors make the argument that effective and impactful reform begins with getting the buy-in of the people you need to get things done. In the case of the DA's office, those people are the line-prosecutors. I know the front-line prosecutors, I have been elected by them to represent them as their union leader, and I know how to get their buy-in so that we can modernize the D.A.'s office.
"When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment" by Mark A. R. Kleiman. This book provides a nuanced view of punishment.
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Moreover, I am the only candidate who has represented law enforcement officers in administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings as well as the only candidate who prosecuted law enforcement officers who blatantly violated the law (narcotics deputies in the 1990s who stole from drug dealers). I am the only candidate who is a co-founder of the L.A. Sheriff’s Foundation, which was started to support the LASD during the summer of 2020 when law enforcement was being attacked. We have subsequently raised over $1 million for everything from a communications crisis center, flak jackets, and ATVs to financial help for the 76 cadets who were run over by a car during their training run. These roles give me credibility when I say that I will always have law enforcement’s back but also will not tolerate anyone, including law enforcement officers, who crosses the criminal line.
These experiences and qualities are what put me above the rest of the field to be a successful District Attorney.
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
“Siddall’s candidacy represents a necessary generational shift inside the office, one that we hope will bridge the gap between our newer deputies, who take a more contemporary approach to their work, and our veteran prosecutors, many of whom joined the office when the proverbial criminal justice 'pendulum' was in a different place than it is today.
Siddall has spent his career handling some of the office’s toughest cases, from domestic violence to gang murders to crimes against peace officers. His commitment to public safety is unquestionable.
For just as long, he has been an outspoken and respected public commentator—on television, in the press, in court, and in the community—on criminal justice-related issues.
He has publicly supported reasonable and sustainable criminal justice reforms. He is a passionate, longtime advocate for the rights of victims and their surviving family members.
Most notably, Siddall is not a newcomer to the fight. His public-facing activism and advocacy predate this election cycle, the one before it, and the one before that. And because he has been involved in and, in many cases, led these very public debates and discussions...he has developed a deep and comprehensive understanding of the political, policy, and legal issues related to the work that we do. This longstanding commitment to community outreach, activism, and reform is a key reason that the Los Angeles Times accurately identified him as a “thorn in Gascón’s side dating to his 2020 campaign” and a “more measured foil for Gascón than much of the primary field.”
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
As DA I will do everything in my power to protect our communities especially our children and vulnerable Angelenos and deliver justice; to treat all fairly under the law regardless of ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, wealth or other; support victims; and respect the will of the voters through the laws they enact. I will hold everyone who commits a crime, no matter a Republican or Democrat, elected official or not, rich or poor, media case or not, police officer or not, fairly and justly accountable. All will be treated equally. The DA does not get to pick which laws to follow and which ones to ignore. That is called anarchy, hubris, and narcissism. As DA, I will follow the law, but use what discretionary power I have to ensure the law is applied objectively, fairly, and justly. I will apply the law on a case-by-case basis, prosecute crimes based upon the evidence and make decisions with transparency and accountability.
Justice is not a one-size-fits-all approach and the wholesale non-prosecution of certain crimes and enhancements has only made us less safe. You cannot fix past societal injustices by punishing current victims. We all want to address the over incarceration of low-income people and communities of color but not charging crimes, ignoring violence, refusing to provide basic public safety, and allowing criminals to go free only to commit more crimes and victimize others is not the answer. That is the definition of injustice.
I will never demean, humiliate, or abandon victims. Protecting the public will be my priority.
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
John McKinney (Nonpartisan)
I believe integrity at the top and transparency throughout the organization are the keys to restoring public confidence in the justice system. I have a life history of overcoming significant adversity while playing by the rules, demonstrating that I am a person of high character and integrity. I have been tested by life in ways that being the District Attorney cannot even approach.
I also believe that as District Attorney I need to do more to educate the public about the realities of our system to dispel many of the myths that people currently believe.
Finally, I believe people want to see proportional outcomes. We have had periods where sentences have been disproportionately high in some cases and a period now where accountability is non-existent. I believe having consistently fair and finely tailored outcomes that use noncarceral programming when possible will go a long way to restoring confidence in the system.
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
John McKinney (Nonpartisan)
Before joining the DA’s Office and law school, I worked for two years as a substitute teacher for the East Orange School District in East Orange, NJ. Prior to working as a substitute teacher, I worked three years in the building trades as a carpenter and house painter. Before working in the trades, I worked various temporary jobs, including but not limited to auto parts driver, picker packer, blacksmith, building cleaner, and fast food worker.
I am currently assigned as the Deputy In Charge of the East Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. As a manager, I supervise Deputy District Attorneys and support staff. I am in charge of the day-to-day operations of the office.
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jeff Chemerinsky (Nonpartisan)
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Heart of LA Democratic Club New Frontier Democratic Club Culver City Democrats United LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto LA City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, Former US Congressmembers Yvonne Burke and Henry Waxman Leading civil rights attorney Connie Rice Former LA City Controller Laura Chick Former LA City Controller Rick Tuttle Former LA City Councilmember Paul Koretz Former LA City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell LAUSD School Board member Nick Melvoin Former Presidents of Los Angeles Police Commission
Steve Soboroff, Matt Johnson and Gerald Chaleff Compton City Council and Mayor Pro Tem Lillie Darden
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Beverly Hills, El Monte, Hawthorne, Glendale, Claremont, Monterey Park, Bell Gardens, San Gabriel, Bell, Gardena, South Gate, Arcadia & La Verne Police Officers' Associations
District Attorneys Lisa Smittcamp (Fresno); Mike Hestrin (Riverside); Cindy Zimmer (Bakersfield)
Mayors Joe Vinatieri (Whittier); Rex Parris (Lancaster); Andrew Lara (Pico Rivera); Gil Hurtado (South Gate); Phil Brock (Santa Monica); Austin Bishop (Palmdale); John Harrington (San Gabriel); April Verlato (Arcadia); Oralia Rebollo (Commerce); Rosario Diaz (West Covina).
Nathan Hochman (Nonpartisan)
Debra Wong Yang, United States Attorney (2002-2006) Nicola Hanna, United States Attorney (2018-2021) Terree Bowers, United States Attorney (1992-1994) Sandra Brown, United States Attorney (2017-2018) Robert Bonner, United States Attorney (1984-1989) Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes Joyce Dudley, former DA from Santa Barbara County Les Bider, former Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles Stanley Gold, former Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
Irwin Field, former Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
John McKinney (Nonpartisan)
-Claudia M. Frometa, Councilmember, City of Downey -Lynda P. Johnson, Councilmember, City of Cerritos -Juanita Martin, Mayor, City of Santa Fe Springs -Warren Furutani, former California State Assemblyman and LAUSD Board Member -Katrina Manning, Councilmember, City of Hawthorne -Mark Pulido, Former Mayor, City of Cerritos
and many more...
Organizations - AFSCME Local 3090 \n LA City Employees/911 Dispatchers - Citizens for Accountable Leadership (CAL) - Democrats for Israel – Los Angeles - I Chinese American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) - Covina Police Officers’ Association - Santa Monica Police Officers’ Association - West Covina Covina Police Officers’ Association
- Whittier Police Officers’ Association
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
Mike Webb, City Attorney for Redondo Beach, who created a modern homeless court model, that Eric wants to expand throughout Los Angeles.
Bob Foster, former Mayor of Long Beach, stated: “Eric Siddall's commitment to justice and public safety is unwavering."
Debra Archuleta (Nonpartisan)
Jonathan Hatami (Nonpartisan)
Complaints by the public must be addressed timely and with compassion, empathy and understanding. All complaints regarding public corruption and financial transparency must and will be thoroughly and timely investigated under my administration.
I will bring a culture of transparency, honesty, integrity, and professionalism back to the DA’s office. I will have an open-door policy and a supportive working environment. The office will be about public safety, victim’s rights, and accountability first, and you will have a DA whose only ambition is not politics but to truly serve the community he lives in.
Lloyd Masson (Nonpartisan)
Craig Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
Eric Siddall (Nonpartisan)
I pledge greater transparency on providing the public key information on controversial cases, specifically the declination to file criminal charges in cases involving officer-involved shootings reviewed by prosecutors.
Currently, declinations on cases involving officer-involved shootings are being delayed for political purposes. I will end that practice. Further, I pledge to personally explain to the media the declination of an any controversial officer-involved shooting case. No other elected Los Angeles County D.A. has ever made this pledge. I believe it is critical to personally explain these cases because the public is often not given a full explanation and the lack of transparency often causes confusion and skepticism.
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
George Gascón
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for George Gascón while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Jeff Chemerinsky
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Jeff Chemerinsky while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Jonathan Hatami
| May 24, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Nathan Hochman
| April 10, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Eric Siddall
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Eric Siddall while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Click here to access those reports.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[22][23][24]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Election context
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for district attorney candidates in Los Angeles County in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.
| Filing requirements for Los Angeles County District Attorney candidates, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source | |||
| 20-40 | $4,023.79[25] | 12/8/2023 | 1 2 | |||
Los Angeles County district attorney election history
2020
General election
General election for Los Angeles County District Attorney
George Gascón defeated incumbent Jackie Lacey in the general election for Los Angeles County District Attorney on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | George Gascón (Nonpartisan) | 53.5 | 2,002,865 |
 | Jackie Lacey (Nonpartisan) | 46.5 | 1,738,617 | |
| Total votes: 3,741,482 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney
Incumbent Jackie Lacey and George Gascón defeated Rachel Rossi in the primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jackie Lacey (Nonpartisan) | 48.7 | 869,127 |
| ✔ | | George Gascón (Nonpartisan) | 28.2 | 504,088 |
| Rachel Rossi (Nonpartisan) | 23.1 | 413,231 | |
| Total votes: 1,786,446 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Incumbent Jackie Lacey won re-election unopposed.
2012
Jackie Lacey defeated Alan Jackson in the general election for Los Angeles County District Attorney on November 6, 2012.
| Los Angeles County District Attorney, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Jackie Lacey |
54.6% | 1,050,671 | |
| Nonpartisan | Alan Jackson | 45.4% | 874,582 | |
| Total Votes | 1,925,253 | |||
| Election results via Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "November 6, 2012, General Election Statement of Vote," accessed January 11, 2024 | ||||
Jackie Lacey and Alan Jackson advanced from the primary for Los Angeles County District Attorney on June 5, 2012.
| Los Angeles County District Attorney, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Jackie Lacey |
31.7% | 145,483 | |
| Nonpartisan | Alan Jackson |
23.8% | 108,944 | |
| Nonpartisan | Carmen Trutanich | 22.2% | 101,571 | |
| Nonpartisan | Danette E. Meyers | 13.4% | 61,413 | |
| Nonpartisan | Bobby Grace | 5.5% | 25,404 | |
| Nonpartisan | John L. Breault III | 3.4% | 15,407 | |
| Total Votes | 458,222 | |||
| Election results via Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "June 5, 2012, Presidential Primary Statement of Vote," accessed January 11, 2024 | ||||
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections include:
- Cook County State's Attorney election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)
- New York's 4th Congressional District election, 2024
- North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2024
See also
| Los Angeles County, California | California | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ LAist, "9 Candidates For LA County DA Will Debate Tonight. The Current DA Won't Be One Of Them," October 18, 2023
- ↑ National Public Radio, "George Gascón Implements Sweeping Changes To Los Angeles District Attorney's Office," December 8, 2020
- ↑ Los Angeles County District Attorney, "Special Directive 20-14," December 7, 2020
- ↑ ABC 7, "LA County race for district attorney: Gascón faces off with candidates in Democratic debate," November 16, 2023
- ↑ George Gascòn campaign website, "Meet George," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ Jeff Chemerinsky campaign website, "Meet Jeff," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ YouTube, "Jeff Chemerinsky for L.A. County District Attorney - Jeff Chemerinsky Sits Down with Elex Michaelson," September 21, 2023
- ↑ Jonathan Hatami campaign website, "Hatami's Story," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ Jonathan Hatami campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nathan Hochman campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ YouTube, "Nathan Hochman for LA County District Attorney - Fixing LA's Broken Scales of Justice," April 10, 2023
- ↑ Nathan Hochman campaign website, "Blueprint for Justice," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ Eric Siddall campaign website, "Meet Eric," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ Eric Siddall campaign website, "Priorities," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ Los Angeles Magazine, "Former Federal Prosecutor Jeff Chemerinsky Enters Race for District Attorney," September 12, 2023
- ↑ Twitter, "Jonathan Hatami," April 27, 2023
- ↑ Eric Siddall campaign website, "Campaign Launch - Press Release," August 28, 2023
- ↑ George Gascón campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ CalMatters, "Los Angeles DA race more likely a referendum on George Gascón than progressive politics," October 19, 2023
- ↑ California law allows for in-person voter registration at designated locations in the 14 days before and including Election Day. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Voting In-Person," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ 12,072 signatures can be provided in lieu of the filing fee
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