Democratic socialist Nithya Raman opened a steady lead over incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayor’s race as updated counts showed a widening margin.
Story Highlights
- Updated counts showed Raman leading Bass by more than 26,000 votes with about two-thirds of expected ballots reported.
- Local outlets reported multiple updates where Raman’s advantage grew as more ballots were processed.
- Decision desks often wait to call close races until outstanding ballots cannot change the result.
- Mail ballots in California can arrive after Election Day if postmarked on time, which slows final calls.
Raman’s Lead Grows As Ballots Are Counted
Los Angeles County’s Wednesday updates showed Nithya Raman at 405,193 votes, or 51.67 percent, and Karen Bass at 379,069 votes, or 48.33 percent. That is a 26,124-vote edge for Raman, based on semi-final results from the county registrar reported by the Los Angeles Daily News. NBC Los Angeles displayed similar figures, with about 72 percent of expected votes in and the race still labeled “too early to call” as Raman held 51.7 percent. ABC7 also reflected those counts with 67 percent of expected votes reported.
NBC Los Angeles and other local outlets described the race as close yet trending toward Raman as Wednesday counting continued. NBC’s morning update noted Raman “holding an early lead,” while a later piece said she had widened it as more ballots were processed. The Los Angeles Times described Raman pulling narrowly ahead in partial returns before the gap expanded in later counts. Some outlets still stressed caution on formal calls given the share of ballots not yet tallied.
Why The Race Remained Uncalled
Media decision desks call races when math and ballot geography make a comeback nearly impossible. They analyze margins, the type and location of outstanding ballots, and historical patterns. They wait when a path still exists for the trailing side, even if it is unlikely. The Associated Press often holds off when margins are tight, sometimes around one-half of one point, unless the desk assesses the gap as insurmountable. In this case, desks flagged the contest as close while Raman’s edge grew.
California’s mail voting rules add time to the process, which can slow final calls. Counties accept mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive later, and officials must verify signatures and process each ballot. That takes days or even weeks in big jurisdictions like Los Angeles. This timing explains why a candidate’s lead can grow in midweek updates without a formal call. The count continues until officials finish their legal steps and certify results.
What The Numbers Mean For Los Angeles
Wednesday’s figures showed a clear movement in Raman’s favor across successive updates. NBC’s election results page listed Raman above 51 percent with more than 62 percent of expected votes in, reinforcing the late-day trend toward her campaign. The Los Angeles Daily News documented the shift from a roughly 16,594-vote gap earlier to 26,124 votes by the 4:30 p.m. update, signaling momentum for Raman as ballots kept arriving and were counted. Those numbers guided how outlets framed the race through the day.
Nithya Raman widens lead over Karen Bass, closing in on becoming L.A.’s next mayor – Los Angeles Times https://t.co/K4bQfxuyYu
— Rich Newbold (@drnewbold) November 5, 2026
For conservative readers watching America’s second-largest city, these counts point to a likely policy shift at City Hall if Raman’s lead holds. Raman’s politics are to the left of Bass, and police union voices have warned about deep cuts and softer public safety under her approach as the margin widened. Voters who want law and order, lower costs, and a firm stand against chaos should track the remaining count. Decision desks will move only when the numbers lock the outcome.
Sources:
twitchy.com, nbclosangeles.com, abc7.com, latimes.com, dailynews.com
