Nithya Raman Leads Karen Bass by 3,978 Votes in Tight Mayoral Race

An overnight update from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk has upended the mayoral race, leaving the city’s leadership undecided. As of Wednesday morning, challenger Nithya Raman has surged ahead with 338,740 votes, representing 50.30% of the tally. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass currently trails with 334,762 votes, or 49.70%, leaving a razor-thin margin of just 3,978 votes between the two candidates.

The numbers, while precise, are far from final. Election officials have cautioned that the path to a certified result remains long, with tens of thousands of provisional ballots and mail-in votes still making their way through the verification process.

Legislative Stability in the 36th and 37th Districts

While the mayoral contest remains fluid, other races across the region have reached a clearer conclusion. Voters in the 36th Congressional District have decisively re-elected incumbent Ted W. Lieu, who secured 70.78% of the vote compared to 29.22% for challenger Houston Brignano. Similarly, the 37th Congressional District has returned Sydney Kamlager-Dove to office with 63.08% of the vote, outpacing Samantha Mota’s 36.92%.

LA mayor race: Nithya Raman takes lead over Karen Bass

Los Angeles County Voters Retain Sheriff and State Officials

Election returns across the state show strong support for continuity in law enforcement and state administration. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna comfortably retained his seat, garnering 69.25% of the vote against Alex Villanueva. State officials also saw strong support within the county, as Xavier Becerra, Fiona Ma, Rob Bonta, and Shirley N. Weber all maintained leads exceeding 70% in their respective races among Los Angeles County voters.

Measure	Outcome	Support
Measure A	Passed	66.24%
Measure E	Passed	73.41%

The Statewide Policy Pulse

With the final count still pending, the city waits to see if the current lead holds or if the remaining provisional and mail-in ballots will shift the balance back in favor of the incumbent.