The district was created in 1925 after a new city charter was passed, which replaced the former "at large" voting system for a nine-member council with a district system with a 15-member council. Not only geographically, but also representationally the district has been one of the most stable. There have been only eleven council members since 1925 and none have served fewer than four years. The thirty-year incumbency of John S. Gibson Jr. was the third-longest of any Los Angeles City Council member, after Ernani Bernardi of the 7th District and John Ferraro of the 4th District.[2]
The district mostly been represented only by residents of San Pedro, which has outside influence as the district's traditional base of political power. Eight of the eleven councilmembers who have represented the district have come from San Pedro.[3]
The historical boundaries does not differ from the modern boundaries, with the main difference being the northern border. At its creation, it was at Slauson Avenue,[5][6] before moving down to Manchester Avenue in 1928.[7] In 1933, the major eastern boundaries of the shoestring are Figueroa Street and Normandie Avenue and western limits are Western and Vermont avenues,[8] before some parts of South Broadway being absorbed in District 8 by 1935.[9] In 1986, the boundary moved south, but district still included part of the Watts area.[10] In 2011, it was now south of Century Boulevard on the west edge of the Shoestring, north of the boulevard to the east.
Elected in 1951. Re-elected in 1953. Re-elected in 1957. Re-elected in 1961. Re-elected in 1965. Re-elected in 1969. Re-elected in 1973. Re-elected in 1977. Retired.
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