Bass and Raman tie at 40 percent as LA voters head to the polls

Los Angeles voters will cast ballots on Tuesday in a mayoral race that has narrowed to a statistical tie between incumbent Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman. The election pits the current mayor against her former ally, City Councilwoman Raman, in a contest for the second-largest city in the United States.

A poll released Wednesday by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, found that both candidates hold 40 percent support among likely voters. The survey indicates that 19 percent of voters remain undecided as Election Day approaches.

This result marks a sharp shift from September. At that time, a poll by the same institute showed Raman leading Bass by 11 percentage points. In September, Raman commanded 39 percent of likely voter support, while Bass held 28 percent.

Bass and her independent political action committees have launched a series of attacks on Raman in recent weeks. These campaigns have focused on public safety concerns, specifically Raman's previous call to remove LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. Critics have also portrayed Raman as inexperienced for the size of the city.

Raman faced additional scrutiny in early October after her campaign shared a video featuring her and a leftist influencer. In the clip, Raman urged viewers to stop fascist liars. The video included photos of Bass and McDonnell. Bass pressed Raman on this moment during a televised mayoral debate.

Tensions escalated further when Raman stated that the LAPD was at a gold standard under former Chief Daryl Gates. Gates led the department when officers beat and arrested Rodney King on March 3, 1991. Residents criticized the department and demanded Gates resign. Then-Mayor Tom Bradley urged the chief to step down, but Gates refused initially.

Gates announced his intention to resign on July 13, 1991, but he did not leave the post until nearly a year later. On April 29, 1992, riots erupted in Los Angeles after four LAPD officers were acquitted in the King beating case. The unrest ended six days later when California’s National Guard and federal officers arrived. Gates finally left the LAPD on June 28, 1992, and Willie Williams replaced him.

Bass accused Raman of being an outsider who did not understand the city's history. Raman defended her comments by referencing Special Order 40, a directive implemented during Gates' tenure. This order mandates noncooperation with immigration enforcement and prohibits city officers from stopping residents over immigration status. Raman later apologized for her remarks.

Raman argues she is running to fix a broken city under Bass. She has criticized the incumbent for pursuing budget-breaking contracts, including a billion-dollar agreement to raise police salaries and a costly plan to modernize the downtown convention center. Raman has outlined plans to improve basic services, increase housing production, reduce living costs, and support the entertainment industry.

Bass is asking voters for four more years to continue work on homelessness, housing, affordability, and public safety. Her campaign has taken aggressive tactics to dissuade voters from electing Raman, whom Bass describes as not ready for prime time. The Berkeley poll shows Bass receiving more support among voters who previously backed Spencer Pratt, while Raman has stronger support from younger voters. Raman, who is more progressive, received support from the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter. The two candidates are currently competing for Black and Latino voters as well as the regular Democratic-leaning base.