Late Ballots Upend L.A. Race

Storefront of Westside Democratic Headquarters with signs.

Late-arriving ballots flipped momentum in Los Angeles, pushing Karen Bass and Nithya Raman ahead while Spencer Pratt slipped out of the runoff, and new polling shows Bass still holding an edge.

Story Highlights

Updated counts moved Nithya Raman past Spencer Pratt as more mail ballots were processed.
Final certified-style tallies show Karen Bass first, Raman second, Pratt third.
Polls before Election Day showed large undecided shares, fueling late shifts.
Analysts say late ballots leaned more liberal, boosting Bass and Raman over Pratt.

Late Ballots Changed the Race Order

Los Angeles election updates showed a clear pattern after Election Day. City Councilmember Nithya Raman trailed early but gained ground with each new batch of ballots, then passed Spencer Pratt as more mail ballots were counted on subsequent days. The trend benefited Mayor Karen Bass as well, who extended a lead while late processing continued, shaping a Bass–Raman runoff and ending Pratt’s bid despite his early strength in partial returns.

Observers noted the timing, not trickery, as the cause. California counts any ballot postmarked by Election Day, and many arrive later in the week. Analysts explained that late-return voters in this cycle skewed younger and more liberal, which helped Bass and Raman over Pratt as the count moved forward. That ballot flow turned a tight three-way contest into a clearer two-person race by the time the registrar posted larger updates and news outlets adjusted their projections.

Final Numbers Put Bass and Raman Into November

Official-style tallies compiled by major outlets place Bass in first, Raman in second, and Pratt in third. Reported figures show Bass near the mid-30s, Raman around the high-20s, and Pratt in the mid-20s once most votes were included. Those results tracked with late-night dashboards and precinct updates as the county processed ballots, confirming that Pratt missed the top-two threshold for the November runoff against the incumbent mayor.

News alerts and election trackers reflected a steady march toward that outcome. As additional counts posted, Pratt’s early edge over Raman narrowed, vanished, and then reversed. Coverage described the margin shrinking to a point, then flipping, and later expanding to a gap of tens of thousands in Raman’s favor, locking in the top-two field by the start of the following week. That sequence aligned with precinct-level maps showing stronger late numbers from left-leaning areas.

Polls Signaled Volatility and a Late Break

Pre-election polling signaled a choppy electorate with many undecided voters. A March survey put undecideds above half, warning the race could “shift dramatically” before ballots landed. Another respected poll from a public affairs school found about four in ten voters still on the fence with only weeks left, underscoring the chance for late movement once people started returning mail ballots and making final choices in the final stretch.

Surveys closer to Election Day showed a three-way squeeze, with Bass edging Raman and Pratt but all within striking distance if late deciders broke hard. One local poll snapshot placed Bass in the mid-20s, Raman just behind, and Pratt a few points back, matching the tight cluster that later emerged in the vote count. That pattern makes sense in a mail-heavy system where return timing and ground-game targeting can decide who benefits as the clock runs out.

What Shift Means for Policy Fights in Los Angeles

A Bass–Raman runoff sets up a contest between two leaders on the city’s left. For conservatives watching from across California, the message is clear: in Los Angeles, late-count ballots favored more progressive choices, even as voters voiced anger over homelessness, crime, and costs. That means taxpayers should expect more pressure for big spending and soft-on-crime approaches unless checks and balances are applied by voters in other local races and by state and federal partners.

Conservatives can still shape the debate. Neighborhood groups, faith communities, and small businesses can demand measurable results on encampments, public safety, budgets, and permitting. Transparent metrics, firm deadlines, and enforcement that backs law-abiding families are common-sense asks that unite many voters. With President Trump focused on securing the border and fighting inflation, local leaders who waste funds or ignore safety should expect louder pushback and closer oversight from citizens determined to reclaim their streets.