Maria Teresa Santillan is a former mayor of Lynwood, California, the first Latina mayor of the city. Biography Santillan was elected to the Lynwood City Council in 2003 after winning a recall election which ousted Paul Richards, a 17-year councilmember, 7-term mayor, and the 2nd African-American mayor of the city (Richard's remaining term ran through December 1, 2005). She was the first Latina to serve on the City Council. In November 2005, she was re-elected to a 4-year term on the City Council and in December 2005, she was named Mayor Pro Tem. In September 2007, she was the only council member to not face a recall election which resulted in the ouster of mayor Louis Byrd and council members Fernando Pedroza, Alfreddie Johnson Jr. and Leticia Vasquez over corruption allegations. In December 2007, she was appointed by the 5-member City Council to serve as mayor succeeding Louis Byrd. She was reappointed as mayor in 2008. She was subsequently re-elected to the City Council in 2009 and 2013. She later served as mayor again from 2016 to 2017. References External links Official Lynwood website profile Living people Mayors of places in California Women mayors of places in California People from Lynwood, California Year of birth missing (living people) Hispanic and Latino American politicians Mayors of Lynwood, California Hispanic and Latino American mayors in California 21st-century American women