Los Angeles, November 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Kerala-born Nithya Raman is poised to make history as the next Mayor of Los Angeles after being projected to defeat incumbent Karen Bass in the city’s non-partisan mayoral election. If the result is confirmed, Raman will become the first Asian-American to lead America’s second-largest city.
Multiple news outlets have called the race for Raman, although the result has not yet been officially certified and ballot counting is continuing.
According to preliminary figures released by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at 9:21 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, Raman had received 429,450 votes, accounting for 52.10 per cent of the total, against Bass’s 394,796 votes, or 47.90 per cent. The registrar has cautioned that the figures could change as additional ballots are processed.
Raman, an urban planner who entered the mayoral contest on the final day for filing nominations, had urged supporters not to declare victory before the count was complete.
Addressing supporters on election night, she expressed hope while cautioning against premature celebrations. She also described her campaign as a response to growing frustration over Los Angeles’ challenges, saying the city should not surrender to hopelessness.
Her campaign focused on housing affordability, homelessness, public safety and improving municipal services. Her proposals included tripling annual housing construction, expanding unarmed emergency response and strengthening protections for tenants and immigrants.
Born in Kerala, Raman moved to the United States at the age of six. After initially living in Louisiana, her family settled in the Boston suburbs. She graduated from Harvard University and earned a postgraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Raman entered Los Angeles politics by winning the 4th Council District seat in 2020, becoming the first Asian-American woman and the first South Asian elected to the City Council. She secured re-election in 2024 before challenging Bass, who was seeking a second four-year term.
If the projected outcome is confirmed, Raman will become only the second woman elected Mayor of Los Angeles. Bass made history as the city’s first woman Mayor.
The county registrar has said ballot processing will continue around the clock through Friday, with further updates scheduled before the official canvass and certification.
Raman’s projected victory would also put an Indian-origin leader at the helm of Los Angeles, alongside New York, where Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani took office on January 1.
FOLLOW NOW
