LA Mayor's Race Now Deadlocked As Election Nears: New Poll

A new poll shows Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman tied just days before the election, marking a dramatic shift in the race.

By Chris Lindahl, Patch Staff

Oct 28, 2026 12:33 PM PDT

Karen Bass and Nithya Raman each have the support of 40% of likely voters, while 19% remain undecided, according to the poll. (AP Photo/File)

LOS ANGELES, CA — The race for mayor is now a dead heat, with incumbent Karen Bass erasing an 11-point lead held by challenger Nithya Raman just weeks before the Nov. 3 election, according to a new poll.

Bass and Raman each have the support of 40% of likely voters, while 19% remain undecided, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released Wednesday and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.

The results mark a dramatic shift from September, when Raman led Bass 39% to 28%, the Times reported.

Bass has made significant gains among Black and Latino voters, along with voters in the San Fernando Valley, according to the Times.

The mayor also picked up support from voters who backed Republican Spencer Pratt in the June primary.

Bass' improved standing comes despite 65% of voters holding an unfavorable opinion of her. Raman's unfavorable rating has also climbed to 49%, surpassing her favorable rating for the first time in the polling series.