Los Angeles voters began seeing the first tallies from the November mayoral election early Wednesday morning, and the numbers show a clear early advantage for challenger Nithya Raman. According to the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office, Raman has amassed 51.1% of the counted votes—approximately 377,458 ballots—while incumbent Mayor Karen Bass trails at 48.9% with about 360,864 votes.
Early count dynamics
When polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Bass appeared to hold a narrow lead. By 9 p.m., however, the gap had narrowed to roughly 10,000 votes in Bass’s favor (289,671 to Raman’s 279,068). The momentum shifted dramatically after the midnight update; by 2 a.m. Wednesday Raman had overtaken Bass by roughly 4,000 votes, and the 3 a.m. snapshot shows her lead expanding to about 15,000 votes.
What’s next?
The Registrar has scheduled additional official updates for 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday. Those releases will provide a fuller picture as more precincts report. In the June primary, 874,716 Angelenos cast ballots, and officials expect turnout to be even higher this November.
Other city races
Alongside the mayoral contest, the early count also highlighted a runoff battle between Deputy Attorney General Marissa Roy and Deputy District Attorney John McKinney for the city attorney’s office. Roy, who led the June primary with 43.1% of the vote, is currently ahead of McKinney, who earned 28.6% in the primary.
Roy’s campaign has been backed by Planned Parenthood, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. McKinney’s endorsements include Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, former District Attorney Jackie Lacey and several city council members such as Traci Park, John Lee, Tim McOsker and Monica Rodriguez.
Council seats and future leadership
The race to replace term‑limited Councilmember Bob Blumenfield remains tight. Insurance businessman Tim Gaspar holds a slight edge over former staffer Barri Worth Girvan, though the count is still too close to call.
In District 9, a historic shift is possible. With Councilmember Curren Price stepping down, two Latino candidates—long‑time aide Jose Ugarte and community organizer Estuardo Mazariegos—are vying for the seat. As of the early morning update, Ugarte leads by roughly 2,000 votes.
Ugarte’s endorsements include the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, CHIRLA Action Fund, the South Central Los Angeles Democratic Club and dozens of labor unions, notably United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. Mazariegos is supported by Senator Bernie Sanders, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and former Councilmember Mike Bonin.
Implications for the 2028 Olympics
The winners of these races will play a role in preparing Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games. Key venues such as Exposition Park, the Coliseum and the Convention Center are slated to host Olympic events, making city leadership crucial for infrastructure and security planning.
Ballot measures
Several city‑wide measures also appeared on the ballot, though the early count does not yet include detailed results for those initiatives.
Angelenos can expect the final results to be certified in the coming days, with the next official updates providing a clearer view of the mayoral race and the accompanying council contests.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
