Mayor
Jim Light
Mayor, Mayor
Jim Light is the Mayor of Redondo Beach, first appointed in February 2024 after the death of Mayor Bill Brand, then elected in March 2025. He defeated Nils Nehrenheim 5,927 to 4,052 in the city's first ranked-choice voting election.
Current term
Office Details
Profile
Background
- —Aerospace engineering degree from Penn State (Air Force ROTC scholarship)
- —MBA specializing in leadership and strategy
- —Certified California Naturalist
- —13 years as an Air Force officer working space programs (Space Shuttle, space communications, launch systems)
- —27 years in the aerospace industry — program director to executive leadership and board membership
- —First moved to Redondo Beach in 1989 when stationed at LA Air Force Base in El Segundo
Priorities
Policy Focuses
- —Waterfront revitalization without overdevelopment
- —AES plant site cleanup and redevelopment
- —Measure FP bond execution (police/fire stations)
- —Public safety
- —State housing mandate reform
- —Economic development
- —Anti-smoke-shop proliferation
Involvement
Community Service
- —Executive committee member of South Bay Surfrider Foundation (1994)
- —Founding board member of South Bay Parkland Conservancy (2004), served as president twice
- —Founded Building A Better Redondo (BBR), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit
- —Mayor's Citizens' Growth Management and Traffic Committee (2008-2009)
- —Harbor Commission (2016-2024)
- —General Plan Advisory Committee
Elections
Election History
Previously ran for Council District 1 in 2005 and 2013 (lost both). Close friend and political compatriot of late Mayor Bill Brand. 20+ years of activism to limit waterfront development.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
- Who is the mayor of Redondo Beach?
- Jim Light is the current Mayor of Redondo Beach, first appointed in February 2024 after the death of Mayor Bill Brand, then elected in his own right in March 2025.
- How do I contact the Mayor of Redondo Beach?
- Mayor Jim Light can be reached by phone at (310) 697-3653 or by email at james.light@redondo.org. City Hall is located at 415 Diamond St., Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
- When was Jim Light elected mayor?
- Jim Light was elected Mayor of Redondo Beach on March 4, 2025, defeating Nils Nehrenheim 5,927 to 4,052 in the city's first ranked-choice voting election. He had been serving as appointed mayor since February 2024.
City government
About Redondo Beach Government
Council-manager charter city. The council consists of a mayor (elected citywide) and five council members (one per district), plus an appointed city manager.
Term limits: two-term limits for both city council and mayor. Voting system: ranked-choice voting (debuted march 2025).
City Hall: 415 Diamond St., Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Phone: (310) 697-3088.