Maria Lou Calanche
Los Angeles City Council District 1 winner
$5.9K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current roleNonprofit executive
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
GenderFemale
LocationCalifornia
BackgroundNonprofit executive
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EducationLoyola Marymount University (BA)
Notable personal detailsMaria “Lou” Calanche is a Los Angeles community organizer and nonprofit executive running for Los Angeles City Council District 1. Raised in the Ramona Gardens community of Boyle Heights, she founded Legacy LA in 2007, a youth development and gang-prevention nonprofit. She has served as a commissioner on the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners and previously served on the Los Angeles Housing Authority Commission and the city’s Youth Development Task Force. Calanche earned a BA from Loyola Marymount University and an MPA from the University of Southern California.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports expanding publicly funded services and programs (for example: free childcare, youth job programs, investments in mental-health and homelessness treatment, and housing protections), indicating a preference for increased government spending on social services. No explicit public statements found committing to specific tax-rate changes, but platform priorities align with moderate progressive economic policies.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to behavioral health and substance-use treatment and increasing city investment in clinical services and hospital capacity for residents experiencing homelessness or mental-health crises. Proposes hiring additional mental-health clinicians, expanding co‑response teams, and directing homeless funds toward treatment programs and hospital beds. Emphasizes connecting residents to case management and healthcare navigation as part of service delivery.
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Immigration & Border
Supports protections and services for immigrant residents (expand Angeleno Card access, fund legal defense and Know Your Rights networks) while also endorsing robust public safety (including restoring LAPD staffing paired with co-deployed mental-health clinicians).
Climate & Energy
Supports stronger climate agency action and community-level environmental measures such as native drainage/green infrastructure and improved public transit; campaign platform emphasizes clean streets, parks, and community transit but does not call for phasing out fossil fuels. Positions indicate support for climate regulation and investments rather than fossil-fuel expansion.
News
Maria Lou Calanche is in the news because she is one of four candidates in the Los Angeles City Council District 1 race. Early returns show incumbent Eunisses Hernandez leading the field. The race could still move to a runoff if no one wins a majority in the primary.
Endorsements
Endorsers of Maria Lou Calanche for Los Angeles City Council District 1 winner
LA County Taxpayers Association
Advocacy group
LA County Taxpayers Association endorsed Maria Lou Calanche
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising