Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Los Angeles, California, on November 3, 2026. Click here for detailed results. In the June 2, 2026, primary, neither received more than the 50% of the vote required to win the election outright. Bass was the first mayoral incumbent in Los Angeles to face a runoff since 2005.

In a race where both candidates were Democrats and aligned on most issues, generational and intraparty divisions, as well as attacks on each other's records, played a role. The New York Times' Shawn Hubler wrote, "The race between Ms. Raman [44] and Ms. Bass, 72, sets up a generational contest between the center-left Democratic establishment that has shaped the city for years, and the young, restive progressives who have charged that baby boomers’ housing policies have systematically priced them out of Los Angeles." Raman, a city councilor, was endorsed by the Los Angeles branch of the Democratic Socialists of America and was to the left of Bass.

Bass was elected mayor in 2022 and ran on what she said were her first-term successes, saying, "Street homelessness is down for the first time in modern memory. Crime has fallen, with homicide levels lower than they've been since the 1960s. We’re accelerating nearly 40,000 units of housing after decades of under-building." Bass also cited her support of the police, film industry tax credits, and protections for immigrants while criticizing Raman's previous opposition to no-camping zones and votes against police hiring and the banning of homeless encampments near schools.

Raman was elected to the Los Angeles City Council representing District 4 in 2020 and was an urban planner. She said, "I’m running for Mayor because Los Angeles simply isn’t working the way it should, and we need more urgency to address our city’s biggest crises. My goal is to deliver a city that works again, where people can afford to live, can feel safe, and can trust that their government is delivering results." Raman said Bass represented the status quo and engaged in "'pay to play' politics, saying special interests ... the police union, business groups and Airbnb — spent big on her reelection," according to the Los Angeles Times. Raman also criticized Bass for what she said was a failure to repair the streets, sidewalks, and other infrastructure, build new apartments, and prevent the loss of film industry jobs.

Los Angeles uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. As of 2026, Los Angeles had term limits for the position of mayor. Mayors can serve two four-year terms.