Nithya Raman has significantly narrowed the gap in the Los Angeles mayoral race, with Spencer Pratt's lead shrinking to just one percentage point as more votes are tallied.
Pratt currently holds just over 27% of the vote, while Raman has advanced to slightly over 26%, according to data from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder. This leaves Pratt ahead by a slim margin of 7,494 votes. Political analysts note that Raman has accelerated her gains in recent updates, suggesting she may eventually overtake Pratt if his vote share does not increase.
Democratic consultant Michael Trujillo stated that the current results indicate Raman will likely secure a spot in the runoff election against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Associated Press confirmed Bass's qualification for the November 3 runoff on election night. Raman has steadily closed the gap on Pratt as mail-in ballots, a segment of voters often favoring progressive candidates, have been counted.
A recent batch of mail-in ballots showed Raman receiving 23,514 votes compared to Pratt's 10,336. Election analysts had anticipated Raman's ascent as mail-in ballots were processed, projecting that left-of-center voters, who constitute Raman's base and tend to return ballots later, would bolster her numbers. Younger and more progressive voters are also known to delay returning their mail-in ballots.
Although the mayoral race is officially nonpartisan, Pratt is a Republican in a city that largely favors Democratic leadership. A poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies indicated Bass leading with 26% support, followed by Raman at 25%, and Pratt at 22%, with a 3% margin of error. Los Angeles voters are familiar with shifts in election results as late-arriving ballots are tabulated, a phenomenon observed in previous elections.
Analysis of precinct-level returns suggests Pratt performed strongly in areas similar to those that supported Rick Caruso in the 2022 mayoral primary, including the Westside and San Fernando Valley communities. Raman, conversely, gained traction in progressive neighborhoods from Hollywood to Highland Park, demonstrating strength in areas with younger populations and a higher proportion of renters.
