Latest information on Los Angeles Mayoral Election Preliminary Days
As voters cast their votes in today’s primary elections across Los Angeles, new updates on the Los Angeles mayoral race have been released.
(This article will be updated with results after voting closes on June 2nd at 8pm.)
Los Angeles, one of the most populous cities in the United States, is faced with a choice on Tuesday, June 2nd. Will Mayor re-elect Karen Bass or will someone else take on the role?
Examples include a former reality TV star who spurned President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, and a city council member who unseated the incumbent in a 2020 race for a seat in favor of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Following Basu, Spencer Pratt and Nitya Raman are the leading candidates in the race, according to polls. Mr. Pratt, who lost his home in the Palisades fire last January, described himself as Mr. Bass’s “worst nightmare” and a candidate who appeals to common sense in Los Angeles, arguing that his lack of government experience is an asset to a city in dire need of repair.
Raman’s last-minute entry into the race earlier this year sparked a conversation about what it meant for Bass. She spoke of her dissatisfaction with the way the city is run and her concerns about the “political system,” pointing to delays and scrutiny of the mayor’s homeless program “Inside Safe.”
They are far from Los Angeles’ only option. More than a dozen people are expected to vote, including nonprofit executive and entrepreneur Adam Miller and progressive pastor and housing advocate Ray Huang.
And then there’s the mayor himself, who was elected to the position in 2022, defeating businessman Rick Caruso.
Bass, who previously served in the California State Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives, signed executive orders on affordable and transitional housing early in his term as mayor. She also launched the Inside Safe program, which aims to move people off the streets and from encampments into housing. But Bass has come under scrutiny over its response to last year’s Palisades fire.
Despite this, Bass reportedly had the support of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Other notable companies include Magic Johnson and labor unions such as the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Unions (AFL-CIO).
Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University and director of the Los Angeles Research Center, said the incumbent will be in trouble if he doesn’t win outright in the bipartisan primary in Los Angeles.
“The reason you can’t win in a primary is because the majority of the people don’t want you,” Guerra said.
The winner will be tasked with leading the city for four years, including when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Other notable races to be held in Southern California on June 2nd
Like Los Angeles, many Southern California cities and counties will hold local elections on June 2nd. Elections include elections for the Board of Supervisors, district and city attorney, superintendent, and more. Here are just a few we’re focusing on.
Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles residents will choose who represents them citywide. All odd-numbered districts have seats available. But the race for City Council in the 9th Ward, which includes parts of downtown Los Angeles, is key in that the district’s longtime representative, Karen Price, will be ousted. The candidates for this district are Marta Sanchez, Jose Ugarte, Estuardo Mazariegos, Elmar Roldan, Jorge Hernández Rosas, and Jorge Nuño. There are also two write-in candidates in the race, according to the authorized list of write-in candidates.
Meanwhile, incumbent Los Angeles City Council member Tracy Park is defending her District 11 seat from Faiza Malik, a civil rights lawyer backed by the Los Angeles Democratic Socialist Party. This district includes some of the city’s more affluent areas, such as Pacific Palisades and Brentwood.
Increase in sales tax on medical services in Los Angeles County
Voters will decide to temporarily raise the general sales tax by 0.5 percent countywide. The sales tax is in response to the tax and spending bill President Trump signed last year that is expected to strain health care and other services in the county. The increase is expected to raise $1 billion a year and would be in effect for five years if approved by voters.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors governs a vast county of approximately 100 cities and millions of residents. Naturally, it will be interesting to see who fills one of the two vacant seats in this election.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents District 1, has been fired. The district, which stretches from Alhambra to Pomona, has five candidates: Noel Almario, Elaine Alaniz, Maria Elena Durazo, Annabella Figueroa Mazariegos and David E. Argudo.
Incumbent Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath is running for reelection in District 3, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley and the West Side. Horvath will face Tonia Alley, Carmenlina Minassian and Thomas Siddenfaden.
When does voting close?
Voting closes June 2nd at 8pm.
Timing of election results
Initial results for ballots cast before Election Day should be released piecemeal after polls close on June 2, but vote counting will continue after Election Day, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder and County Clerk.
What happens if no one wins the LA mayoral race?
If no candidate receives a majority of votes in this election, the two candidates with the most votes will face off in the November election.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. please contact her pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
