Washington, November 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian-origin lawyer Marissa Roy has won the Los Angeles city attorney race, marking a significant milestone for the city’s Asian American and immigrant communities. Her victory, alongside that of India-born Mayor-elect Nithya Raman, means women of Indian heritage will occupy two of Los Angeles’ three citywide elected offices.
Roy, a California deputy attorney general, defeated Deputy District Attorney John McKinney in last week’s runoff election. Her mother emigrated from India, and Roy highlighted her family’s immigrant background throughout her campaign.
Together with Filipino-American City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who secured re-election in June, Roy and Raman will make Asian Americans the holders of all three citywide elected positions in Los Angeles for the first time in the city’s history.
“This is really a significant moment, not just for the Asian American community, but for the immigrant community to have an immigrant mayor, to have a city attorney who is the daughter of an immigrant,” Roy said, describing the result as a reflection of Los Angeles’ identity.
Roy also revealed that relatives in India had closely followed the election and congratulated her through WhatsApp messages after her victory.
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A founding board member of Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County, Roy received endorsements from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. The organisation also supported Raman, who moved from India to the United States at the age of six.
In her first address as mayor-elect, Raman highlighted the significance of voters choosing an immigrant to lead the city.
Manjusha P. Kulkarni, executive director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, credited decades of community organising for the breakthrough. Mejia said the outcome reflected voters’ support for the candidates’ progressive policies as well as their backgrounds.
Los Angeles elects its mayor, city attorney and city controller through citywide votes. While the mayor heads the executive branch, the city attorney handles the city’s legal affairs, advises public officials and enforces applicable laws. Raman and Roy will serve in separate offices with distinct responsibilities.
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