Lindsey Horvath enters race for LA County's new elected chief executive post
The 3rd District supervisor is the sole candidate for the role created by 2024's Measure G, which oversees a $50 billion budget and 100,000 employees.
By Lorenzo Marshall ·
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced on Monday that she will seek the county's first elected chief executive position. The race is set for 2028, and Horvath is currently the only candidate in the field. This new executive role replaces the previously appointed CEO and serves to implement the key priorities of the county Board of Supervisors.
The post carries substantial operational weight. The executive will manage the county budget, which stands at approximately $50 billion, and direct labor relations for a workforce exceeding 100,000 employees. Voters approved the creation of this office in 2024 through Measure G, a proposal originally advanced by Supervisors Horvath and Janice Hahn.
Horvath, who represents the 3rd District, covers the San Fernando Valley, parts of the Westside, and Central Los Angeles. She first won her supervisor seat in 2022 and secured re-election in June for another four-year term. Before joining the board, she served as the mayor of West Hollywood.
Horvath made her candidacy public via social media and her campaign website on Monday. She described the contest as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity." The measure that established the position also permits the Board of Supervisors to expand from five to nine members by 2030 and created an independent Ethics Commission, which held its first meeting last month.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger expressed concerns about the timing of the campaign. In a statement issued Monday, Barger called it "premature" to run for the office while questions about its constitutionality remained unresolved. She cited legal questions raised by former federal judge Stephen Larson regarding whether California’s Constitution allows an elected county executive to veto board decisions and control county contracts.
"Moving forward with an office that would fundamentally change how Los Angeles County is governed, without first resolving these questions, is putting the cart before the horse," Barger said. She added, "We need clarity." The primary election for the new executive post is scheduled for March 7, 2028.
Horvath’s entry into the race marks the first formal campaign for the role established by Measure G. The position will assume powers currently held by the Board of Supervisors under state law, subject to the legal questions raised by Barger.
