Bass Faces Raman in Los Angeles Mayoral Rematch as Sheriff Race Returns to 2022 Contenders

Los Angeles County voters will decide the next mayor and sheriff of the nation’s second-largest city in the general election taking place on November 3. The general election concludes at 8 p.m. on that day, though officials caution that close races may require days of ballot counting to declare winners. All 646 vote centers in the county are open for in-person voting through Election Day. Residents can also use dropboxes located throughout the county. Election officials recommend that mail-in voters visit a post office to ensure their ballots are postmarked by the November 3 deadline, as dropping them in a mailbox does not guarantee timely postmarking.

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is seeking a second term against City Councilmember Nithya Raman. Bass, 73, became the city’s first female mayor in 2022. Raman, 45, endorsed Bass before entering the race herself in February. The two Democrats are sparring over homelessness, public safety, and wildfire preparedness. Raman, a former urban planning nonprofit executive, argues for fundamental change. Bass, a former member of Congress and the California Assembly, warns that replacing her could disrupt preparations for the 2028 Olympics. Raman was first elected to the City Council in 2020 as the first candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

The race for the 34th Congressional District pits incumbent Rep. Jimmy Gomez against challenger Angela Gonzales-Torres. Gomez, 51, is seeking a sixth term while facing a House ethics investigation into alleged sexual misconduct. He denies violating any law or House rules but has admitted to making personal mistakes outside of his marriage. Gonzales-Torres, 31, is a former academic counselor at Pasadena City College who helped former inmates transition to higher education. The district includes downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, and East Los Angeles. Gomez is backed by state and local party establishments, while Gonzales-Torres receives endorsements from the California Working Families Party and the Democratic Socialists of America.

In the 24th State Senate District, West Hollywood City Councilmember John Erickson and media consultant Brian Goldsmith are competing to replace term-limited Sen. Ben Allen. This is one of the most expensive legislative races of the cycle. Erickson, 41, serves as chief of staff at Alliance for a Better Community. Goldsmith, 44, has no prior political office but worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign and advised Pete Buttigieg in 2020. The California Democratic Party did not endorse a candidate because its caucus could not reach a consensus. The district stretches from Agoura Hills and Malibu to the South Bay.

The 26th State Senate District features affordable housing advocate Sara Hernandez and environmental advocate Sarah Rascón. They are vying to succeed Sen. María Elena Durazo, who is moving to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. Rascón, 36, is endorsed by Durazo and former Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo. Hernandez, 43, has the support of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and eight current state senators. This is the only other L.A. County state Senate race with two Democratic candidates in the runoff.

Sheriff Robert Luna, 60, is running for reelection against his predecessor, former Sheriff Alex Villanueva, 63. Luna defeated Villanueva in 2022. The winner will oversee the largest sheriff’s department in the country, which patrols 153 unincorporated communities and 42 of the 88 cities within the county. The relationship between the sheriff and the Board of Supervisors, which sets the department’s budget, is a key issue in the race.

Ballot measures include countywide Measure A, which establishes binding arbitration for public safety employees, and Measure E, which outlines the work of the county’s Ethics Commission. Measure E also re-establishes Measure J, requiring 10% of the county’s general fund to fund alternatives to incarceration. Los Angeles city voters will decide Measure FD, a half-cent sales tax increase expected to generate $345 million annually for the Fire Department. In Alhambra, Measure DB asks voters to ban data centers, following a similar ban in neighboring Monterey Park.