Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the city's mayoral election held on November 3, 2026. The 45-year-old urban planner and city council member is set to become the first South Asian and first Asian-American mayor of the United States' second-largest city. Bass conceded on November 5, and the Associated Press called the race for her challenger.

The result was one of the most closely watched local contests during the US election. Although voters chose between two Democrats, the race was nonpartisan under Los Angeles election rules, and the outcome does not determine which party controls Congress.

US Election 2026: How Nithya Raman Defeated Karen Bass

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's results showed 460,772 votes for Raman, or 52.7%, against 413,519 for Bass, or 47.3%, in a November 5 update. That is a lead of 47,253 votes and 5.4 percentage points. These figures are unofficial and could change as more eligible ballots are counted. Anyone following the US election should distinguish this running tally from the certified total.

Bass acknowledged the result in a statement and said she had contacted her opponent to congratulate her and support the transition. The Associated Press called the contest on November 5. A newsroom projection and a concession establish the reported winner, while election officials still have to complete the canvass.

From India to the Los Angeles City Council

Born in Thrissur, Kerala, Nithya Raman moved to the United States as a child and later studied at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She worked on urban issues in India, including housing and displacement, before becoming active in Los Angeles community organising.

In 2020, she defeated incumbent council member David Ryu and became the first South Asian elected to the city's council. She was re-elected in 2024. Her official council biography highlights her work on renters' rights, homelessness, housing access and city services, issues she carried into her campaign to become Los Angeles Mayor.

Raman entered the mayoral race in February 2026 after initially endorsing Bass. In the June nonpartisan primary, she moved ahead of television personality Spencer Pratt as later ballots were tallied, securing a place in November's runoff.

What the DSA Endorsement Means

The Democratic Socialists of America chapter in Los Angeles endorsed Raman after the primary, but the relationship was not without disagreement. The group had withheld its primary endorsement and later acknowledged differences with her over political positions, according to The Guardian.

The result is historic for Los Angeles, not the first time a DSA-associated candidate has led a major US city. New York elected Zohran Mamdani in 2025. The midterm election timing brought the Los Angeles contest national attention, but it should not be treated as a referendum on every socialist policy.

Why Karen Bass Lost After One Term

Bass became the first sitting mayor of the city to lose re-election since James Hahn in 2005. Her administration faced criticism over homelessness, expensive housing, basic services and its handling of the January 2025 Palisades Fire. She also defended initiatives to move unhoused residents indoors and accelerate affordable housing approvals.

Raman campaigned on housing affordability, neighbourhood infrastructure, public transport, public safety and changes to the city's homelessness response. Those differences help explain what voters were choosing between, but they do not prove which issue decided any individual ballot.

Unlike the federal midterm election contests for Congress, the mayoral vote concerned who will manage Los Angeles's municipal government and its services over the next four years.

Certification and the New Mayor's Start Date

Los Angeles County is scheduled to certify its count by November 27, and the city's next mayoral term begins December 14, 2026, according to the City Clerk's election information. Until then, published vote totals remain provisional.

The US election result has already prompted Bass to promise an orderly handover. For Nithya Raman, the immediate challenge is turning campaign commitments into administrative decisions while balancing the city council, public agencies and budget constraints.

The first South Asian Los Angeles Mayor will inherit debates over housing, homelessness and recovery from the 2025 wildfire. The historical milestone is established by the reported result; her governing record will take shape after she assumes office.