Dead heat in mayor’s race, poll shows

Wave Staff and Wire Reports

LOS ANGELES — With less than a week before election day, new poll numbers show the race for a mayor to be a virtual dead heat.

According to the latest Los Angeles Times/Berkeley IGS poll both Mayor Kaen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman are at 40% of likely voters, with 20% of voters still undecided.  The same poll conducted a month ago showed Raman ahead by 11 percentage points.

The latest poll numbers come as both candidates announced backing from important local figures.

County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath endorsed Raman Oct. 27. Horvath was once seen as an ally of Bass, but the two split in the aftermath of the January 2025 Palisades Fire. Horvath, who represents Pacific Palisades, Malibu and other areas impacted by the fire, criticized Bass over her handling of communications and other issues.

A day earlier, real estate developer Rick Caruso, who lost the 2022 mayoral election to Bass, said he will be voting for Bass in the Nov. 3 election. Caruso says Bass is learning from her mistakes and that he has seen her grow into the job.

Caruso has expressed “extreme concern” about Raman’s possible plan to remove Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim
McDonnell.

Bass and Raman were once allies.

Caruso emphasized that he was not endorsing Bass — just sharing who he would be voting for.

In response to Caruso’s announcement, Bass issued a statement saying she was honored and that she looks forward to working with him over the next four years to solve the city’s major problems.

Raman previously made remarks during a televised mayoral debate that she would replace McDonnell, noting that he has “not met the moment” in regards to federal immigration operations in Los Angeles.

In response to the latest poll numbers, the Raman campaign issued a statement saying her camp is not surprised that the race is close.

“After a month of attack ads and millions from her allies, Karen Bass still can’t get ahead,” the statement said in part, going on to point out that Bass’ disapproval rating has risen to 65%.

“To repeat: The incumbent mayor is even more unpopular in this poll than last month,” the statement said. “And Nithya maintains a lead among Latino voters, with 43% support, compared to 40% for Bass.”

Also on the Nov. 3 ballot is the race for the 9th District seat on the City Council currently held by Curren Price, who couldn’t seek reelection due to the term limits.

Former Price aide Jose Ugarte and longtime community organizer Estuardo Mazariegos are running for the seat after finishing one-two in the June primary.

Whoever wins will be the first non-Black to represent that area of South Los Angeles since 1963 when Gilbert Lindsay was appointed to the seat, replacing Ed Roybal, who had been elected to Congress. Lindsay was elected to the seat in 1964 and reelected seven times.

Since then the seat has ben held by Rita Walters, Jan Perry and Price.

There are also eight city ballot measures, 14 state ballot measures and the runoff for city attorney between John McKinney and Marissa Roy.

Early in-person voting for the Nov. 3 general election began Oct. 24 at 123 vote centers across Los Angeles County, with hundreds of additional locations scheduled to open Oct. 31, election officials announced.

The initial vote centers will operate daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Nov. 2, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Another 523 vote centers will open Oct. 31, bringing the countywide total to 646. All locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters can cast their ballots at any vote center in the county, regardless of where they live.