Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ, CBS News and NBC News, with the Associated Press calling the race on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
Raman won by about four percentage points, according to the latest Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk results. County officials are scheduled to certify the results on 27 November.
It is the first time since 2005 that an incumbent Los Angeles mayor has lost. Bass called Raman to congratulate her and said she is committed to a smooth and seamless transition.
Raman, 45, a progressive councillor first elected to the city council in 2020, becomes the first Indian-origin mayor of Los Angeles. Her term begins on 14 December.
Her campaign focused on housing, homelessness and public safety, and she has said she will sign an executive order on her first day to speed up housing approvals.
Source: USA TODAY
