Bass Leads Raman in Incomplete Los Angeles Mayoral Count

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held a narrow lead over City Council member Nithya Raman in early returns from the mayoral election, with the count still incomplete and no winner established. At 10 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday, Los Angeles County results showed Bass with 292,876 votes, or 50.86%, and Raman with 282,935 votes, or 49.14%. The figures were a snapshot of the count, not a final result. The first returns consisted of mail ballots received before Election Day. Results from in-person voting and other ballots were still to come, according to the reported counting sequence. A later account said the race might not be called for days. Raman had gained ground in several updates to the tally, though the reports did not establish how the remaining ballots would affect the outcome. Bass and Raman, both Democrats, offered competing arguments about the city’s direction. Bass sought another term, pointing to progress during her time in office and questioning whether Raman was ready to lead a city of 3.8 million people. Raman argued that Los Angeles needed change and criticized Bass over homelessness, housing and her response to the 2025 Palisades Fire. Bass was out of the country when...