LOS ANGELES — More than a dozen candidates are running in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election, with major outlets reporting different totals. ABC7 Los Angeles lists 14 certified candidates on the ballot, while Ballotpedia lists 16 total filings, including individuals who may not have qualified. Despite the discrepancy, Mayor Karen Bass, City Councilmember Nithya Raman, and Republican candidate Spencer Pratt are receiving the most attention in early polling and debate coverage.
The city’s nonpartisan primary is scheduled for June 2, 2026. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the November 3 runoff.
Leading Candidates
Mayor Karen Bass is seeking a second term. A Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll reported by ABC7 shows Bass leading with 25 percent support. Bass has emphasized her administration’s work on homelessness through the Inside Safe initiative and ongoing recovery efforts following the Palisades Fire.
City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who entered the race shortly before the filing deadline, is polling at 17 percent, according to the same ABC7‑reported poll. Raman has focused her campaign on housing affordability, renter protections, and expanding mental‑health and treatment‑first responses to homelessness.
Republican candidate Spencer Pratt is polling at 14 percent, ABC7 reports. Pratt has criticized the city’s homelessness response and has called for expanded public‑safety measures, stronger enforcement against drug trafficking, improvements to city services, and broader economic‑recovery efforts. He has also emphasized government accountability and reducing what he describes as inefficiencies within City Hall.
Debate Coverage
The first major televised debate, hosted by NBC4 Los Angeles on May 6, featured Bass, Raman, and Pratt. NBC4 reported that Bass and Pratt frequently challenged Raman’s positions, while Raman accused the two of aligning against her. The debate focused on homelessness, housing policy, immigration enforcement, wildfire recovery, and city services.
Additional coverage from Fox News and USA Today highlighted exchanges over the city’s handling of drug addiction, the role of the LAPD, and the future of Measure ULA, the city’s tax on high‑value property sales used to fund housing programs.
Key Issues
Across outlets including ABC7, NBC4, Fox 11, and USA Today, homelessness remains the central issue in the race. Housing affordability, public safety, immigration policy, and the city’s economic recovery are also major topics.
Candidate Field
- ABC7 Los Angeles lists 14 certified candidates on the 2026 ballot.
- Ballotpedia lists 16 total candidates, including those who filed but may not have qualified.
Candidates appearing across both lists include Bass, Raman, Pratt, Adam Miller, Asaad Alnajjar, Bryant Acosta, Nelson Cheng, John Logsdon, and Juanita Lopez.
Election Dates
- June 2, 2026 — Primary election
- November 3, 2026 — Runoff election (if required)