Ashleigh Aitken

{{Infobox politician

| name = Ashleigh Aitken

| image = Mayor_Ashleigh_Aitken.jpg

| office = 47th Mayor of Anaheim

| term_start = December 6, 2022

| preceded = Harry Sidhu

| birth_place = Fullerton, California, United States

| spouse = Michael Penn

| children = 3

| alma_mater = {{ubl|Boston College (BA)|USC Gould School of Law (JD)}}

| party = Democratic

}}

Ashleigh Aitken is an American politician from the state of California. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the 47th mayor of Anaheim, California, serving since December 2022.

Early life and career

Aitken was born at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, California. She graduated from Rosary High School in Fullerton.{{Cite web|url=https://laist.com/news/politics/anaheims-new-mayor-on-housing-disney-and-the-future-of-angel-stadium|title=Anaheim's New Mayor On Housing, Disney And The Future Of Angel Stadium|date=December 16, 2022|website=LAist}} Aitken earned a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education and history from Boston College. She was a history teacher at North Quincy High School and then worked in the Washington, D.C. office of Dick Gephardt, the Democratic leader of the United States House of Representatives. She then attended the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law.

Aitken practices law for the law firm Aitken Aitken Cohn with her husband, father, and two brothers.{{cite web | url=https://voiceofoc.org/2017/05/reiff-lawyer-ashleigh-aitken-planning-run-for-anaheim-mayor-not-for-da/ | title=Reiff: Lawyer Ashleigh Aitken Planning Run for Anaheim Mayor (Not for DA) | date=May 25, 2017 }} In 2012 California Governor Jerry Brown appointed Aitken to the nine-member board of directors for the Orange County Fair.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-0222-fairboard-20120221-story.html|title=Republican, Democrat named to Fair Board|first=Lauren|last=Williams|date=February 22, 2012|newspaper=Daily Pilot}}

Electoral career

Aitken ran for mayor of Anaheim in the 2018 election, losing to Harry Sidhu, 32.5% to 31.9%.{{cite web|url=https://www.anaheimobserver.com/2019/11/15/ashleigh-aitken-poised-to-jump-into-3rd-district-supervisor-race/ |title=Ashleigh Aitken Poised To Jump Into 3rd District Supervisor Race |publisher=Anaheim Observer |date= November 16, 2019|accessdate=May 21, 2023}} She ran for the third district seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2020, challenging Donald P. Wagner,{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2019-12-05/political-landscape-ashleigh-aitken-an-o-c-fair-board-member-announces-bid-for-supervisor|title=Political Landscape: O.C. Fair Board member announces bid for spot on Board of Supervisors|newspaper=Daily Pilot|date=December 5, 2019}} and lost. She won the 2022 Anaheim mayoral election and was sworn into office on December 6.{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2022/12/06/anaheims-new-mayor-and-council-members-take-their-posts|title=Anaheim's new mayor and council members take their posts|newspaper=The Orange County Register|date=December 6, 2022|last=Robinson|first=Alicia}} Aitken is the first female mayor of Anaheim.

Personal life

Aitken met her husband, Michael Penn, on a blind date. They married in 2002,{{cite web|author=admin |url=https://kudosnb.com/how-a-blind-date-led-ashleigh-and-michael-to-a-wonderful-life-together/ |title=How a blind date led Ashleigh and Michael to a wonderful life together - People | Places | Things & Ideas |publisher=Kudosnb.com |date=January 25, 2019 |accessdate=May 21, 2023}} and have three daughters.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no party no change| title=2018 Anaheim mayoral election{{cite web |title=Orange County 2018 General Election November 6, 2018 Official Results for Election |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2018/results.htm#c-1985 |publisher=Orange County |access-date=30 September 2019 }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change

|candidate = Harry Sidhu

|votes = 26,422

|percentage = 32.5%

}}