Karen Bass and Nithya Raman Trade Leads in Los Angeles Mayoral Count
Early results show a tight contest between the incumbent mayor and a city council member backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.
By Rafael Collins ·
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Council member Nithya Raman are separated by a narrow margin in the early vote count for the city's top job. The two Democrats are competing to lead the nation's second most populous city as voters decide whether to keep the incumbent or turn to a challenger aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.
Initial tallies after polls closed showed Bass with a slight advantage. However, subsequent updates to the count saw Raman close the gap and eventually take a small lead in the early morning hours. Approximately one third of the ballots remained uncounted at the time of the latest reports.
Bass, who is 73 years old, addressed her supporters on Tuesday night with a message of confidence. She shouted, "We will achieve victory. I love Los Angeles." She led the crowd in chanting for "Four more years" and stated, "When we fight, we win." The mayor has argued that her record justifies another term in office.
Raman, 45, told her supporters she is "very hopeful" and urged them to join her in dancing at her election night party. She connected her campaign to the recent Democratic gains in Congress, noting, "This election is about change too." She added, "Hopelessness can be fatal for a city, but this campaign refused to accept that."
The race is framed as a choice between experience and change. Bass contends that Raman is "not ready for primetime" after serving on the council for six years. Raman counters that voters cannot afford another four years of decline and mismanagement. She stated, "we cannot afford another four years of decline, of mismanagement, of excuses."
Key issues in the campaign include public safety and homelessness. Bass wants to hire more police officers and has called Raman's views on policing "extreme." Raman has said she would replace the police chief, a move Bass criticized as reckless before the 2028 Olympic Games. Raman, who once posted "defund the police" on social media, now says the department should remain at its current size.
On homelessness, Bass points to the city's efforts to clear encampments and shelter thousands of people, though data show nearly half of those individuals dropped out of the system. Raman has pledged to reduce the number of people sleeping in tents by at least 50% by 2028 if elected. She plans to expand medical teams that visit encampments to build trust and provide more housing to move people out of city rented hotels.
Bass is backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Nearly every member of the city council supports her. Billionaire developer Rick Caruso said he is voting for Bass, though he stopped short of a formal endorsement. Raman has drawn support from groups like Our Revolution and the Sierra Club. She recently met privately with former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A Berkeley IGS/LA Times poll conducted from Oct. 19 to 25 found that about 4 in 10 likely voters prioritize reducing homeless encampments. About 3 in 10 said ensuring public safety or building more affordable housing should be top priorities. The outcome of this race will also influence the city's preparation to host the 2028 Olympic Games.
