Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass conceded to City Councilmember Nithya Raman, confirming Raman’s win as votes continued to widen her lead.
Story Snapshot
- Bass called Raman to concede and pledged a smooth transition.
- County returns showed Raman leading by thousands of votes as counts updated.
- NBC News and the Associated Press projected Raman as the winner.
- Totals shifted upward over several releases, but Raman’s margin grew.
What Happened: Bass Concedes, Projections Call Raman the Winner
On November 6, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she called Councilmember Nithya Raman to congratulate her and promised a smooth transition. News outlets reported the concession while votes were still being counted. NBC News and the Associated Press each projected Raman as the winner based on the available returns and expected votes. Together, the concession and the projections signaled a clear outcome to the public, even as the county continued its normal post‑election count.
Los Angeles County’s reported numbers showed Raman ahead and building on her lead as more ballots were processed. An update carried by ABC7 showed Raman with 429,450 votes, or 52.1 percent, and Bass with 394,796 votes, or 47.9 percent. That was a lead of 34,654 votes at that stage. Earlier updates had Raman ahead by a smaller margin, which later expanded as additional batches were released by election officials and reported by media partners.
How the Vote Count Moved Over Time
Vote totals rose across updates, which is normal in large counties that receive mail ballots and provisional ballots after election night. NBC Los Angeles noted Raman’s earlier lead at 405,193 to 379,069 before later updates lifted the totals and the gap. In a subsequent tally snapshot, reporters showed Raman at 460,772 votes, or 52.7 percent, to Bass at 413,519, or 47.3 percent, with roughly three‑quarters of expected votes counted at that time.
These shifts reflect routine counting and verification steps that follow every major election. News outlets emphasize trend lines and the share of expected votes to judge if a lead is likely to hold. In this race, the lead widened across releases rather than shrinking, which supported the projections. ABC7 also reported that the Associated Press projected Raman the winner while covering Bass’s concession, reinforcing the call from multiple independent desks.
Why Projections and Concessions Matter, and What Comes Next
Projections and concessions shape public understanding before final certification. A candidate’s concession reduces the chance of a prolonged fight. A projection from a major outlet signals high confidence in the likely outcome based on data models and remaining ballots. Both occurred here. However, certification is a separate legal step that happens later, when officials complete the canvass and issue the formal statement of vote for the citywide contest.
The next steps include a managed handoff at City Hall and policy signals from the incoming administration. ABC7 reported that Raman cast her focus on homelessness, public safety, and housing in early remarks. Those issues have strained Los Angeles budgets and trust, with residents on both the left and the right frustrated by rising costs, street disorder, and a sense that leaders miss basic service goals. The transition will test how City Hall addresses those day‑to‑day concerns.
Democratic socialists set to lead America’s two largest cities after Raman ousts Bass
“Los Angeles, I'm deeply honored to be your next Mayor,” Raman said in a statement shared by her campaign
Karen Bass concedes LA mayoral race to socialist Nithya Raman https://t.co/ADEanZYfe7
— Chuck Kennedy (@chuck85258) November 6, 2026
Sources:
youtube.com, nbcnews.com, abc7.com, fox9.com
