City Attorney Race Sees 17-Point Lead in Final Poll

A poll released in the final week of October shows Marissa Roy leading John McKinney by 17 points in the race for Los Angeles city attorney. The survey, conducted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, indicates Roy holds a distinct advantage among likely voters heading into the Tuesday election. Roy currently serves as California Deputy Attorney General, while McKinney is the L.A. County Deputy District Attorney.

The city attorney role commands a budget of $200 million and oversees a staff of more than 1,000 attorneys and administrative personnel. The office acts as the legal adviser to the mayor and City Council, manages city contracts, defends the city in civil lawsuits, and serves as the chief prosecutor for misdemeanor cases. The candidates offer contrasting visions for the position. McKinney stated he would prosecute chronically homeless individuals to secure placement in treatment. Roy said she would pursue companies and individuals violating wage laws, as well as landlords who harass renters.

Simultaneously, voters in the Third Council District are choosing between Tim Gaspar and Barri Worth Girvan. Gaspar, a businessman who sold his insurance company in 2021, campaigned on a pro-business platform to champion small businesses. Worth Girvan, a former government employee for L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, emphasized her connections across different levels of government. The race has featured intense campaigning, including an ethics complaint filed by Worth Girvan. She alleged Gaspar failed to report more than $150,000 in personal and business expenditures and violated matching-funds regulations. Gaspar called the accusations lies and described Worth Girvan as a career politician.

In the Ninth Council District, Estuardo Mazariegos and Jose Ugarte are vying for the seat. The district is approximately 80 percent Latino, and the election is expected to produce a Latino council member for the first time since 1962. Mazariegos, co-director of the L.A. chapter of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, supports reducing LAPD funding to support other services and criticized the city’s anti-camping law. Ugarte, a former deputy chief of staff to Councilman Curren Price, supports Mayor Karen Bass’ goal of restoring the LAPD rank and file to 9,500 officers and supports enforcing the anti-camping law.

Ugarte has received independent expenditures from Airbnb, Uber, and the California Apartment Association. Mazariegos criticized these outside groups for attempting to buy influence at City Hall. Ugarte also faced a $20,000 fine from the City Ethics Commission in 2025 for failing to disclose outside income from lobbying and consulting work. He agreed to pay the fine, noting his work with Ugarte & Associates never overlapped with his tenure as Price’s chief deputy.

The Third District includes neighborhoods such as Tarzana, Woodland Hills, and Canoga Park. The Ninth District encompasses areas like downtown L.A., Vermont Square, and Green Meadows. Incumbents Bob Blumenfield and Curren Price are termed out, leaving their seats open for new representatives. Hydee Feldstein-Soto, the current city attorney, failed to secure enough votes in June for a second term.