Mayor · General election
Mayor of Los Angeles
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
On the ballot
2 certified candidates, listed alphabetically by last name.
Karen Ruth Bass
Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Became the first Black woman to serve as speaker of a U.S. state legislature, leading the California Assembly. She later chaired the Congressional Black Caucus in the U.S. House. In 2022 she became the first woman to serve as mayor of Los Angeles.
Full profile →Nithya Raman
Councilmember/Urban Planner
An urban planner. She founded a nonprofit that helps homeless neighbors in 2017. She studied at Harvard and MIT, then won a Los Angeles City Council seat in 2020 by beating an incumbent.
Full profile →
Where they stand
Topic by topic, from each candidate’s own statements and public records.
Economy & Jobs
Karen Ruth Bass
- Supports an uncapped state film and TV tax credit and a federal production incentive to bring entertainment jobs back to Los Angeles.
“The success of the tax credit is why I've called for a no-cap State tax credit and a federal film incentive.”
Source →
Nithya Raman
- Wants a dedicated city film office with faster, more predictable permitting and lower fees for smaller productions.
“we've lost more than 40,000 jobs in recent years”
Source → - Supports simplified permitting and revitalizing commercial corridors to help small businesses.
“Los Angeles is opening half as many new businesses as a decade ago”
Source →
Taxes & Cost of Living
Karen Ruth Bass
- Supports a balanced budget funded by growing tax revenue rather than layoffs, prioritizing homelessness, public safety, and basic services. Source →
Nithya Raman
- Wants stronger fiscal management and clearer, more honest reporting on the city's budget problems.
“We have to be thinking about how we grow our property tax base.”
Source →
Housing & Homelessness
Karen Ruth Bass
- Says new city policies are accelerating housing construction after decades of under-building.
“accelerating nearly 40,000 units of housing after decades of under-building”
Source → - Supports continuing and expanding the Inside Safe program that moves people from encampments into housing.
“Street Homelessness Is Down 17.5 percent.”
Source → - Supports stronger rent stabilization rules and tenant protections.
“first improvements to the City's Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 40 years”
Source →
Nithya Raman
- Wants to roughly triple annual housing construction and reduce red tape for building new homes.
“The inability to equitably and affordably house all residents is the compounding moral crisis”
Source → - Supports strong renter protections, including expanded just-cause eviction rules and capped rent increases.
“Nearly two thirds of Angelenos rent their homes”
Source → - Wants to expand the city's homelessness oversight and coordination efforts citywide. Source →
Public Safety & Policing
Immigration & Border
Karen Ruth Bass
- Directs city departments to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and expand support for immigrant communities.
“I'm making sure we deploy every resource and tool available within the City to ensure that we are supporting immigrant communities”
Source →
Nithya Raman
- Opposes any local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and supports the city's sanctuary ordinance.
“No one in Los Angeles should be afraid to go to work or drop their kids off”
Source →
Environment, Energy & Climate
Karen Ruth Bass
- Supports pre-approved rebuilding plans and streamlined permitting to speed up wildfire recovery.
“These pre-approved plans are designed to cut red tape, lower costs, and reduce uncertainty by providing a clear roadmap to rebuilding”
Source →
Nithya Raman
- Wants stronger follow-through and accountability on the city's existing climate goals.
“We have lacked the systems of accountability and political will to carry out ambitious goals”
Source → - Says wildfire rebuilding has been too slow and wants a faster, clearer rebuilding plan.
“nearly 17 months since fires, still no plan for rebuilding”
Source →
Infrastructure & Transportation
Karen Ruth Bass
- Supports a systematic, citywide plan to repair streets, sidewalks, and street lights.
“LA's first-ever infrastructure plan to fix the sidewalks, streets, and streetlights”
Source →
Nithya Raman
- Wants to deliver on transit measures voters already approved and improve street safety.
“Angelenos are tired of sitting in traffic, feeling unsafe on streets”
Source →
Government, Elections & Democracy
Karen Ruth Bass
No published position on this topic.
Nithya Raman
- Supports Charter and ethics reforms to limit corruption and increase transparency at City Hall.
“We must create rules in Los Angeles that change the way in which Councilmembers operate”
Source →
Candidates are those certified for the official ballot, listed alphabetically by last name. Photos appear only when we have an official, reusable photo of every candidate in the race. Positions are compiled from the candidates’ own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.