Nithya Raman poised for LA mayoral victory over Karen Bass after latest ballot drop

Nithya Raman is poised to defeat Mayor Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles after the latest batch of ballot returns.

Raman’s lead expanded Thursday morning with 429,450 votes, or 52.10% of the vote, compared to Bass’s 394,796 votes, or 47.90%, giving the city councilwoman a 34,654-vote advantage.

The new count added 39,984 votes to the mayoral race since Wednesday afternoon, with Raman capturing 24,257 of them, or nearly 61%, while Bass picked up 15,727. Approximately 76% of ballots have now been counted.

It marked another setback for the 73-year-old incumbent, whose narrow election-night lead has steadily unraveled as additional ballots have been counted.

Bass initially led by 9,941 votes Tuesday night, with 50.84% of the vote compared with Raman’s 49.16%, raising hopes among her supporters that she could secure a second four-year term.

Raman led by 26,124 votes after Wednesday night’s drop with 67% of the vote counted.

The political tide has shifted dramatically since election night, when Bass initially held a narrow lead of fewer than 10,000 votes. That advantage evaporated Wednesday as later-counted ballots pushed Raman ahead.

Decision Desk HQ projected Raman the winner Wednesday, although the Associated Press had not called the contest as of the latest available reporting.

Political analysts have pointed to Raman’s strong support among younger voters, who tend to cast ballots closer to Election Day, as a critical factor in her surge.

“Young people don’t see the kind of prospects available to them going forward their parents and grandparents saw,” veteran political analyst Dan Schnur previously told The California Post.

Raman’s potential victory would mark a dramatic political shakeup at City Hall after a bruising campaign dominated by homelessness, public safety, soaring housing costs and frustration with Bass’ leadership.

An October poll commissioned by the California Post showed Raman leading Bass 46.7% to 38.8%, while 71.7% of likely voters disapproved of the incumbent mayor’s job performance.

The next mayor would inherit a city grappling with a strained budget, persistent homelessness, dwindling LAPD staffing and preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

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