Angelenos throughout the town will head to the poll field on Tuesday to forged their vote within the main election to find out Los Angeles’ subsequent mayor.
Voters within the nation’s second-largest metropolis could have 14 candidates to select from in a race that features incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, actuality TV persona Spencer Pratt and metropolis Councilwoman Nithya Raman.
Candidates working for the highest workplace in Los Angeles have targeted on quite a lot of points afflicting the Southern California metropolis, together with restoration from the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, homelessness, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and extra.
Los Angeles Metropolis Council member and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman attends a “Households for Nithya” occasion n Los Angeles, Could 16, 2026. Spencer Pratt whereas campaigning for mayor of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Could 31, 2026. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks to supporters throughout a meet & greet, Could 31, 2026, in Venice, Calif.
Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances by way of Getty Photos | Daniel Cole/Reuters | Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Instances by way of Getty Photos
Whereas the first is nonpartisan, Bass has served Congress as a Democrat, Raman is a self-described Democrat, and Pratt is a registered Republican.
Here’s a rundown of the candidates, the problems and the way the election will operate.
The candidates
Whereas 14 candidates are working for workplace, three front-runners have emerged in polls: Bass, Pratt and Raman met in the one televised debate of the race on Could 6.
Bass, a Los Angeles native, entered politics in 2004 after a profession in drugs as a doctor assistant. The mayor served within the California State Meeting, rising to the speaker of the meeting earlier than working for Congress in 2010.
She served six phrases within the Home as a Democrat earlier than changing into the first woman and second African American mayor of Los Angeles in 2022.
Raman, working as a progressive, launched her marketing campaign earlier this 12 months, simply earlier than the deadline, and has been a member of the town council since 2020.
Raman, who holds levels from each Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise, describes herself as an “city planner” on her web site.
Pratt, who has generated headlines since saying his candidacy earlier this 12 months, is working as an outsider within the discipline. Pratt rose to fame in his 20s serving as a villain archetype on the hit actuality TV present “The Hills.”
The previous actuality star has mentioned his political ambitions had been fueled by his affiliation with the Palisades wildfire, which claimed his dwelling.
The problems
No subject has been extra outstanding within the mayoral marketing campaign than the Los Angeles fireplace response and restoration. When fires ravaged the area in early 2025, greater than 10,000 buildings had been destroyed as greater than 30,000 acres of the town burned.
Pratt has been probably the most outspoken critic of the town’s response. Bass has defended her actions whereas additionally admitting the town should study from the hearth. Raman has additionally criticized the “dysfunctional” response to the fires.
Homelessness, one other key concern candidates have targeted on down the stretch, was hotly debated on the talk stage final month. Bass has cited what she says are inroads on the difficulty, saying L.A. had seen a lower in homelessness beneath her administration.
Raman’s marketing campaign has burdened the significance of bringing unhoused folks indoors, whereas Pratt has targeted on what he sees because the core explanation for homelessness: drug dependancy.
The candidates even have totally different stances on what the town’s method to ICE ought to be. Final 12 months, ICE raids grew to become a flashpoint for widespread protests throughout the town.
As mayor, Bass has pushed again on ICE’s presence in Los Angeles, saying in a press release in March, “Los Angeles is not going to stand for ICE’s concern, intimidation and illegal focusing on.”
Raman’s plan to handle ICE in Los Angeles consists of appointing a police chief “dedicated to defending immigrants” and guaranteeing the Los Angeles Police Division “doesn’t coordinate with federal immigration enforcement,” in response to her web site.
Pratt just lately advised ABC Information the longer term mayor wouldn’t be capable of work with ICE due to California’s sanctuary regulation standing, including, “I will make the streets so protected the federal authorities is just not going to wish to return to L.A., as a result of they are going to be like ‘Wow this mayor has these streets protected and clear.'”
Different sizzling subjects at play within the main is the revival of Hollywood, LAPD funding, reasonably priced housing and extra.
How the first works
In accordance with the town of Los Angeles election code, the Los Angeles mayoral main can lead to both an outright winner or a runoff, relying on last vote tallies.
A candidate will likely be decided the winner in the event that they obtain a majority of votes within the main. Within the case that doesn’t occur, the highest two vote-getters will advance to a runoff within the basic election in November.
