Jon Roanhaus / Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles voters went to the polls in 2026 to decide whether incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will keep her seat or face a November runoff, with a crowded field testing her hold on City Hall.
Bass, the Democratic mayor currently leading the nation’s second-largest city, drew challenges from across the political spectrum. City Council member Nithya Raman entered the race positioned to Bass’s left, while reality television personality Spencer Pratt mounted a long-shot bid against the incumbent.
How the Race Works
Under Los Angeles election rules, any candidate who clears 50 percent of the total vote wins the seat outright. If no one reaches that threshold, the top two finishers advance to a runoff election scheduled for November 3. Given the size of the field, a runoff appeared likely heading into election day.
What’s Next
Should the race proceed to a November contest, Bass would need to consolidate support across a divided electorate, while challengers like Raman would compete for voters dissatisfied with the incumbent’s tenure. Final results were compiled and tallied by the Associated Press.
The Los Angeles mayor’s race is one of several high-profile municipal contests drawing attention this election cycle. Competitive races are also unfolding elsewhere in the West — including Wyoming’s U.S. Senate seat, where seven candidates have entered ahead of an August 18 primary — reflecting broader voter restlessness with established political figures heading into the second half of 2026.
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