It is currently represented by Democrat Marqueece Harris-Dawson since 2015 after winning an election to succeed Bernard C. Parks, who termed out.

The 8th District includes the neighborhoods of Baldwin Hills, Chesterfield Square, Crenshaw, Jefferson Park, and other communities of western South Los Angeles.

In 1925, the district was created, with the borders of the district at south of Washington Street, north of Jefferson on the western side and north of Slauson Avenue on the eastern side, bounded on the east by Alameda Street and the Vernon city line.

[6][7] In 1940, the "general trend [was] westward and northeastward, due to heavy construction in the San Fernando Valley and the beach areas."

[9] In 1964, it was enlarged by absorbing two-thirds of the old 12th District, which was moved to the San Fernando Valley because of the growth of population there.