LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has pulled ahead of reality television personality Spencer Pratt for second place in the city's mayoral primary, with vote counting ongoing, officials said on June 7, 2026.
Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass maintained a strong lead and has advanced to the November general election, according to results from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. With about 83 percent of expected votes counted, Bass held roughly 34.7 percent, Raman had 27.1 percent and Pratt had 26.7 percent, putting Raman ahead of Pratt by about 3,100 votes.
The nonpartisan primary was held on June 2. California law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within seven days, leading to a prolonged tally that favors later mail-in votes, which have trended toward Raman and Bass, election officials said.
Raman, a progressive Democrat, overtook Pratt, a Republican, after trailing on election night. The shift occurred as additional mail ballots were processed over the weekend. About 150,000 ballots remain to be counted, the Associated Press has estimated.
Bass, a Democrat seeking re-election, has led throughout the count. The top two finishers will face off in the November 3 general election.
The race has drawn attention due to Pratt's celebrity background and Raman's challenge to Bass from the left. Raman previously endorsed Bass for re-election but entered the race later as a candidate focused on housing construction, entertainment industry jobs and city services.
"We look forward to winning a contest against an opponent who allows encampments near schools and fights against hiring more cops, yet is MIA on saving Hollywood jobs and fighting back when ICE invades LA," Bass campaign spokesperson Alex Stack said in a statement.
Pratt has criticized Bass's handling of issues including homelessness and the January 2025 wildfires. Some supporters have raised questions about the shifting vote tallies, but election officials have described the process as standard and have rejected unsubstantiated fraud claims.
Raman, who represents the city's 4th Council District, has emphasized grassroots efforts and major policy changes. On election night, she told supporters, "Los Angeles is the most hopeful, the most resilient, the most complicated, the most creative, the most beautiful city in the entire world."
Vote counting is expected to continue in the coming days, with certification targeted for later in June or early July. Details on the final outcome remain subject to the remaining ballots. The city continues normal operations in the meantime.
