Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced a close challenge from City Councilmember Nithya Raman in Tuesday’s election, with the two Democrats trading the lead overnight in a contest dominated by public safety, homelessness, the 2025 Palisades Fire and disagreements over the city’s future.

The race remained too close to call Wednesday morning, raising the possibility that Los Angeles could elect a democratic socialist as mayor for the first time.

Bass held a narrow advantage when the first results arrived Tuesday night. At 9 p.m., the incumbent led Raman by about 10,000 votes. The gap narrowed as additional ballots were counted, and Raman overtook Bass after midnight.

鈥淚t takes a while to count the vote in our city,鈥� Bass said at her election-night party at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on Tuesday night. She also said that she expects to 鈥減ut some brakes on the White House.鈥�

Four miles to the east, Raman held her election night party at The Greek Theatre.

鈥淥ur city hall became a place where we became so used to saying no, we forgot how to say yes,鈥� Raman said to the crowd.

By early Wednesday morning, Raman had received 377,458 votes, or 51.1%, compared with Bass’s 360,864 votes, or 48.9%. (an estimated 62.7% of the vote had been counted).

Voter turnout in Los Angeles County was running ahead of the 2022 midterm election. As of early Wednesday, election officials had counted more than 2.1 million ballots, representing 36.34% of registered voters, compared with 23.42% at the same stage four years earlier.听

The contest pitted Bass, 73, a former U.S. House representative from California and state Assembly speaker, against Raman, 45, an urban planner who was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020. Raman had endorsed Bass for reelection before entering the race in February. Bass finished first in the June primary but received about one-third of the vote. Raman advanced to the November runoff after overtaking Republican candidate Spencer Pratt, who had entered the race following the destruction of his Pacific Palisades home in the January 2025 fire.

Bass entered the general election facing criticism over the city’s response to the fire, which erupted while she was traveling abroad. Raman made the disaster and the city’s homelessness programs central issues in her challenge.

Raman accused the administration of failing to deliver results despite substantial public spending.

鈥淲e cannot afford another four years of decline, of mismanagement, of excuses,鈥� Raman said during the campaign.

Bass defended her administration’s performance, citing reductions in unsheltered homelessness and violent crime, expansion of affordable housing projects and efforts to rebuild after the fires. She questioned Raman’s experience, describing her opponent as 鈥渘ot ready for primetime.鈥�

Raman’s ties to the Democratic Socialists of America, whose Los Angeles chapter endorsed her, drew attention to her positions on Israel. The organization opposes U.S. military assistance to Israel and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Raman’s position on BDS also caused friction within the organization. In October, the DSA’s national leadership threatened to withdraw its endorsement unless she supported BDS, although its Los Angeles chapter continued backing her. During the campaign, Raman described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and characterized Israel as an apartheid state.

At a Sept. 29 mayoral forum for 91传媒 voters at the Skirball Cultural Center, Raman described BDS as a 鈥渓egitimate form of peaceful protest,鈥� drawing audible objections from audience members. 91传媒 Federation Los Angeles leadership had also criticized her characterization of the Gaza war as genocide. Bass, appearing at the same forum, said she opposed BDS and did not consider Israel’s actions in Gaza to constitute genocide. The candidates’ positions added another point of disagreement in a city with one of the country’s largest 91传媒 populations.

Luna Wins Reelection as Sheriff

Also in Los Angeles County, Sheriff Robert Luna defeated former Sheriff Alex Villanueva in a rematch of their 2022 election, according to the Associated Press. Luna, a former Long Beach police chief, defeated Villanueva four years ago and sought a second term on his record overseeing the department. Early Wednesday returns showed Luna receiving about 69% of the vote to Villanueva’s 31%. Luna has pointed to decreases in homicides and violent crime during his tenure, along with increases in the number of new deputies graduating from the sheriff’s academy. Villanueva had sought a return to the office after voters removed him in 2022. The sheriff oversees law enforcement services in unincorporated areas and contract cities across Los Angeles County, which has approximately 9.8 million residents, more than 40 U.S. states.

Los Angeles City Attorney and City Council

In the race for Los Angeles city attorney, California Deputy Attorney General Marissa Roy held a commanding lead over Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John McKinney. Early Wednesday results showed Roy receiving about 66% of the vote to McKinney’s 34%. The race had not been called in the Wednesday-morning returns reviewed for this report. The contest followed the defeat of incumbent City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto in the June primary.听

Two Los Angeles City Council contests also remained unsettled.

In the western San Fernando Valley’s Third District, businessman Tim Gaspar held a narrow advantage over Barri Worth Girvan, a former district director for Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. Wednesday’s returns showed Gaspar receiving approximately 51% of the vote to Worth Girvan’s 49%. The winner will succeed termed-out Councilmember Bob Blumenfield in a district including Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Canoga Park, Reseda and Winnetka.

In the California state Senate’s 24th District, Democrat Brian Goldsmith led fellow Democrat John Erickson, a West Hollywood city councilmember. Goldsmith, a former senior adviser to Democratic Majority for Israel, was seeking the seat being vacated by Democratic state Sen. Ben Allen. The coastal district includes Santa Monica, Malibu and parts of the South Bay, including communities affected by the Palisades Fire. Early Wednesday results showed Goldsmith ahead with approximately 58% of the vote to Erickson’s 42%.

In California’s 42nd Assembly District, Democrat Deborah Klein Lopez led Republican Ted Nordblum. The district stretches across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including portions of the Malibu and Thousand Oaks areas.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta won reelection, defeating Republican Michael Gates, a former Huntington Beach city attorney. Bonta, a Democrat, has taken legal action against the Trump administration on issues including immigration and federal authority. He will serve another four-year term as the state’s chief law enforcement officer.

Democrat Fiona Ma defeated Republican Gloria Romero, a former state senator, in the race for lieutenant governor. Ma had served as California state treasurer.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber also won reelection, defeating Republican Donald Wagner, an Orange County supervisor.

In the race for state insurance commissioner, Democrat Jane Kim held a seven-point lead over fellow Democrat Ben Allen in early Wednesday returns. The office carries particular importance for victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires who continue to navigate insurance claims, coverage disputes and bureaucratic obstacles as they attempt to rebuild their homes and lives. A survey found that 66% of fire survivors surveyed remained displaced 18 months after the disaster, while California insurance regulators identified 398 violations of state law in 114 of 220 State Farm wildfire claims reviewed.

The outstanding local and statewide races will be determined as county election offices continue processing ballots cast in Tuesday’s general election.