L.A. Council reappoints Heather Hutt, skipping special election for Ridley-Thomas seat

Heather Hutt was reappointed as the interim council member for the 10th District, despite warnings that the move will disenfranchise voters.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to reappoint Heather Hutt as the interim replacement for former Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas, despite objections from critics who labeled the move undemocratic.

On an 11-1 vote, Hutt was chosen to remain on the council through December 2024, representing Ridley-Thomas’ district for the rest of his unfinished term. Ridley-Thomas was ousted from his seat last month after being convicted on federal corruption charges.

Hutt was first chosen as an interim council member for the 10th District in September. The decision to extend her tenure another 20 months means the 10th, which stretches from Koreatown to the Crenshaw Corridor, will likely end up going more than three years without its voters choosing their own representative.

Read more at LA Times.