Bass Signs Executive Order on Immigration Enforcement as Wildfires Reshape Governance
Bass issues immigration protection order while wildfire recovery remains a defining governance challenge.
Event / Politics
Los Angeles Mayoral Election 2026
Los Angeles mayoral primary and runoff election
2 reported locations
Daily activity
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 7 May, 17:37 UTC
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What happened
Los Angeles damaged by 2025 wildfires destroying over 16,000 structures
The 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures across Los Angeles. The fires damaged public opinion of Mayor Karen Bass due to her response to the disaster. The fires have been cited as one of several crises, along with ICE raids and housing costs, that have shaken the city in recent years.
Nithya Raman campaigns on housing construction and homelessness solutions
Nithya Raman, a progressive city council member and the first candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America to win a seat on the Los Angeles city council, is campaigning on promises to speed up housing construction, improve services such as street maintenance and public transportation, and address homelessness. Raman has criticized the city's current homelessness strategy as ineffective. She holds degrees from Harvard University and MIT, where she studied urban planning. If elected, she could become the first South Asian woman to serve as Los Angeles mayor.
Los Angeles mayor's race advances to November runoff between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman
Progressive city council member Nithya Raman advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The race will determine who leads the city of nearly 4 million people. Bass, the incumbent, received under 35% of the vote in the primary, placing her in a vulnerable position. Raman made a last-minute entry into the race after having previously endorsed Bass for reelection. Republican Spencer Pratt, a former reality television personality, failed to advance to the runoff and was eliminated from the race.
Karen Bass signed executive order protecting residents from federal immigration enforcement operations
Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order seeking to protect city residents from federal government immigration enforcement operations, including barring federal agents from using city property for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Bass has publicly opposed ICE raids across the city, stating that they create fear and terror. She has personally intervened at scenes where federal agents were conducting operations, demanding that ICE end its activities.
Los Angeles mayoral election scheduled for November 3
The nonpartisan Los Angeles mayoral election is scheduled for November 3. The race between incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and progressive city council member Nithya Raman will determine the next leader of the second-largest city in the United States.
Karen Bass seeks reelection as Los Angeles mayor on homelessness and housing platform
Karen Bass, the first Black woman elected mayor of Los Angeles, is running for reelection on a campaign focused on addressing homelessness, building affordable housing, and decreasing violent crime. During her first term, Bass declared a local emergency on homelessness and secured $50 million from the city council to fund the Inside Safe program, which moves people from encampments into temporary and permanent housing. The program has reduced the number of people living on the streets by roughly 18%, marking the first two-year decrease in the city's history, though criticism persists about its effectiveness and cost.
Karen Bass receives less than 35 percent of vote as incumbent mayor
Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, who assumed office in 2022 as the first Black woman to serve as Los Angeles mayor, received under 35 percent of the vote in the primary election. Her relatively low support level as an incumbent places her in a vulnerable position heading into the November runoff against Raman.
California's vote-counting process delays election results by nearly one week
Results from the Los Angeles mayoral primary election took nearly a week to determine due to California's vote-counting procedures. The state mails ballots to all eligible voters and counts ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive within seven days. Counties process mail ballots in roughly the order they are received, with later-arriving ballots counted last, extending the timeline for final results.
Nithya Raman advances to November runoff in Los Angeles mayoral election
Progressive city council member Nithya Raman advanced to a November runoff election against incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Raman, who made a last-minute entry into the race after initially endorsing Bass, finished in second place in the primary election held on June 2. She will face Bass in the general election to determine who will lead the city of nearly 4 million residents.
Spencer Pratt eliminated from Los Angeles mayoral race
Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former reality television personality from MTV's "The Hills," was eliminated from the Los Angeles mayoral race after finishing in third place in the primary election. Despite drawing national attention for his candidacy and his challenge to liberal governance in the heavily Democratic city, Pratt did not accumulate sufficient votes to advance to the November runoff.
Karen Bass faces criticism over response to January 2025 Palisades wildfires
Mayor Karen Bass faced criticism from voters over her response to the January 2025 Palisades wildfires, with many viewing her response as a failure of leadership. Bass was overseas at a diplomatic function in Ghana when the fires broke out, and her handling of the disaster affected her political standing going into the 2025 mayoral election.
Karen Bass advances to Los Angeles mayoral runoff election
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass secured her place in the November 2025 runoff election for mayor with 34.7% of the vote in the June 2025 primary election. The Associated Press projected her advancement to the runoff.
Los Angeles mayoral runoff scheduled for November 2025
The Los Angeles mayoral runoff election between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman is scheduled for November 3, 2025. The runoff will determine the next mayor of Los Angeles.
Spencer Pratt announces mayoral candidacy following 2025 Palisades wildfire losses
Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former 'The Hills' television personality, announced his candidacy for Los Angeles mayor one year after losing his home in the January 2025 Palisades wildfires. Pratt declared that 'the system in Los Angeles isn't struggling; it's fundamentally broken' and blamed Mayor Bass for the fire response and overall city governance.
California election counting process shows Democratic advantage as mail-in ballots arrive later
California's slow vote-counting process, which accepts mail ballots postmarked by Election Day through seven days after, has benefited Democratic candidates statewide. Election data shows large numbers of Democrats held onto their mail ballots and returned them in the final days of the election cycle. This pattern has been observed in multiple races including the Los Angeles mayoral primary, the gubernatorial race, and congressional races like California's 6th District.
Spencer Pratt eliminated from Los Angeles mayoral runoff race
Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican and former reality television personality from MTV's 'The Hills,' was eliminated from contention for the second runoff spot in the Los Angeles mayoral election. After leading on election night, Pratt fell to third place as mail-in ballots were counted, finishing behind Nithya Raman with 26.7% of the vote.
Nithya Raman enters Los Angeles mayoral race at filing deadline after previously endorsing Bass
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman announced a surprise last-minute bid for mayor in February 2025, entering the race at the filing deadline despite having previously endorsed incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for reelection. Raman is a progressive who was elected to City Council in 2020 as the first Asian American woman and first South Asian to serve on the council.
Nithya Raman overtakes Spencer Pratt for second place in Los Angeles mayoral primary
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a Democrat and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, overtook Republican Spencer Pratt for second place in the Los Angeles mayoral primary by Sunday, June 8, 2025. Raman received 27.1% of votes counted while Pratt received 26.7%, a lead of approximately 3,100 votes. Raman had been in third place on election night but steadily gained votes as mail-in ballots were counted.
Last incumbent Los Angeles mayor forced to runoff was 21 years ago
The last time an incumbent Los Angeles mayor was forced into a runoff after serving a first term was in 2005, when then-City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa defeated Mayor James Hahn who was seeking reelection.
Los Angeles uses top-two election system for mayoral race
Under Los Angeles' top-two election system, the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to a November runoff unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary election.
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2 alternative perspectives
Bass and Raman Set Competing Agendas for November Mayoral Runoff
Bass and Raman face off in November runoff with competing homelessness and housing platforms.
Raman advances to November runoff after final votes counted
Raman advances to November runoff against Bass; Pratt eliminated after votes fully counted.
Bass Under Fire for Palisades Wildfire Response Amid Mayoral Runoff
Bass faces criticism over Palisades Fire response as she heads into November runoff election.
Raman and Pratt Enter Race at Filing Deadline, Reshaping Field
Raman and Pratt joined the mayoral race at the filing deadline, altering the candidate field.
Raman overtakes Pratt for runoff spot against Bass in November
Raman advances to face Bass in November after overtaking Pratt in final vote counting.
Bass leads Pratt in early election results with runoff set for November
Bass and Pratt advance to November runoff after early results show Bass leading 36.54% to Pratt's 30.12%.
Pratt's Fire Loss Brings Trump Attention to Mayoral Race
Palisades Fire destroyed Pratt's home; Trump acknowledged his mayoral campaign.
Bass Acknowledges Missteps, Delays Minimum Wage Increase
Bass acknowledges first-term missteps, including controversial minimum wage delay.
Pratt's Hotel Spending Contradicts Campaign Trailer Narrative
Pratt's reported $15,000 Hotel Bel-Air spending contradicts his campaign trailer claims.
Bass and Pratt Set for November Runoff in Los Angeles Mayor Race
Bass and Pratt advance to November runoff; Raman's primary placement uncertain.
Bass and Raman Propose Competing Film Industry Support Plans
Bass and Raman propose rival film industry support plans with different incentive structures.