City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a progressive Democrat and member of the Democratic Socialists of America , is slowly closing the gap with reality‑TV personality Spencer Pratt in the Los Angeles mayoral race .. On election night Pratt led with about 30% of the vote to Raman’s 20%, but as late ballots are tallied Raman has climbed to just over 22%, while Pratt has only risen to roughly 30%. The difference between them now stands at roughly 38,000 votes, down from 40,000 two days earlier.

Progressive Late‑Ballot Surge Narrows 38,000‑Vote Gap

According to the report, late ballots favor progressive voters, a trend that has helped Raman gain an estimated 2,000 votes per day. Political analyst Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs,noted that Raman needs to capture a large share of the remaining ballots to overcome the deficit. He said, “She really has to get the preponderance of the votes that will be coming in in the next week or so.”

Spencer Pratt’s Unconventional Lead Holds Firm

Pratt, known for his role on The Hills, maintained a commanding lead on election night and has only slightly increased his share to around 30% as counting continues. The source reports that Pratt’s 30% share is steady, and his advantage remains substantial even as Raman gains ground. The L.A. county Registrar of Voters will accept ballots postmarked by Election Day up to seven days after, meaning the final results may take some time to be certified.

Who Will Face Mayor Karen Bass in November?

The winner of this primary will face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November general election. Bass, a Democrat, is seeking a second term,and the race has drawn significant attention due to Pratt’s unconventional candidacy and Raman’s progressive platform. With hundreds of thousands of ballots still uncounted, the outcome remains uncertain.

Open Question: Can Raman’s 2,000‑Vote Daily Gain Turn the Tide?

Yaroslavsky cautioned that Raman needs to gain much more than the 2,000 votes per day she has been picking up to overcome the deficit. The source highlights that the key unknown is whether Raman can captture enough of the remaining progressive ballots to close the 38,000‑vote gap before the final count is certified.