LOS ANGELES — The race for a place in Los Angeles’ November mayoral runoff remains unresolved nearly a week after California’s primary election, with City Council member Nithya Raman narrowly overtaking former reality television personality Spencer Pratt in the latest vote count.
According to election results released over several days by Los Angeles County officials, Raman moved into second place behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass after initially trailing Pratt on election night. The shift reflects a broader trend in California’s extended ballot-counting process, which often continues for days after voting concludes.
Bass remains in the lead, while Raman now holds a slim advantage over Pratt as officials continue tabulating thousands of outstanding ballots. The Associated Press estimates that fewer than 150,000 ballots remain uncounted.
Late-Arriving Ballots Reshape the Contest
California’s election system allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive at election offices within seven days. Because every registered voter receives a mail ballot, election officials often spend days processing and verifying votes after polls close.
Los Angeles County typically counts mail ballots in the order they are received. Initial results released on election night included ballots that had been returned early and processed before voting ended, along with votes cast in person on Election Day.
Subsequent updates have incorporated later-arriving mail ballots, which have altered the standings in several races. Election data indicates that many Democratic voters submitted their ballots closer to Election Day, a factor that appears to have benefited both Bass and Raman as additional votes were counted.
Although Los Angeles mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, Bass and Raman are Democrats, while Pratt is a Republican.
Raman Erases Election-Night Deficit
When initial results were released Tuesday evening, Bass led Pratt by roughly 4.4 percentage points. Pratt, meanwhile, held an advantage of more than eight points over Raman.
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As additional ballots have been processed, Bass expanded her lead over Pratt to nearly eight percentage points. Raman steadily gained ground and has now moved ahead of Pratt by approximately 0.4 percentage points, a margin of about 3,100 votes.
The outcome remains uncertain as election officials continue processing outstanding ballots.
Slow Count Draws Political Criticism
California’s lengthy vote-counting process has drawn criticism from some Republican figures, who have alleged irregularities without presenting evidence.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. Department of Justice would investigate the ongoing ballot count. Trump suggested Democrats in California were benefiting from the extended process in ways that could affect several high-profile races.
The president also referenced the state’s gubernatorial contest, where Democrat Xavier Becerra has already secured a place in the general election. The Associated Press has not yet projected the second qualifying candidate. Republican Steve Hilton continues to hold a lead over Democrat Tom Steyer for the remaining runoff position, although that margin has narrowed since election night.
Different Paths for Challengers
Regardless of who advances, the November election is expected to focus heavily on Bass’ leadership and the direction of city government.
Pratt has campaigned as a conservative alternative in a city dominated by Democratic leadership. His platform has emphasized efforts to reduce homelessness and criticism of the city’s response to the January 2025 wildfire in the Pacific Palisades area, where his home was among thousands destroyed.
His campaign has attracted significant public attention due to his celebrity background, though it remains unclear whether that visibility will translate into enough votes to secure a runoff berth.
Raman, by contrast, has positioned herself as a progressive challenger. Her campaign has focused on accelerating housing development, supporting the entertainment industry’s recovery, and improving public services across Los Angeles.
Her entry into the race drew attention because she had previously endorsed Bass for reelection before launching her own campaign. Raman was first elected to the City Council with support from the Democratic Socialists of America, although the organization did not formally endorse a candidate in the mayoral contest.
With thousands of ballots still awaiting review, election officials have not yet determined who will face Bass in the general election, leaving the contest one of California’s most closely watched local races.
