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Nithya Raman Overtakes Pratt, Sets Bass Runoff

6/8/2026

50 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Raman Overtakes Pratt

Councilmember Nithya Raman overtook Spencer Pratt for place, securing a runoff against Mayor Karen Bass.
Raman has 27.12% of votes, Pratt 26.69%, and Bass leads with 34.68% after 83% of ballots were counted.
Raman leads Pratt by 3,113 votes while ballots postmarked June 2 are accepted through June 9.
Bass’s campaign warned Raman she allows encampments near schools and opposes hiring more police.
The two finishers will meet in the November 3 runoff.

Summary

Raman Advances

Polymarket gives Nithya Raman a 99% chance of advancing to the runoff.
Kalshi lists a 97% chance for Nithya Raman and 3% for Spencer Pratt, with a $100 wager on Pratt returning $1,000 if he wins.
Ballot drops cut the Nithya Raman–Spencer Pratt gap to 7,494 votes, prompting Attorney Bill Essayli to launch a DOJ audit of voter rolls.
Pratt’s campaign will consider a recount if he misses the runoff.

Summary

Raman Leads

Christian Grose said the count lag is due to a surge in mail-in ballots dropped Monday or Tuesday and postmarked by Tuesday.
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber reported 13 million of California’s 16 million 2024 presidential votes were cast by mail, showing strong absentee reliance.
Los Angeles officials warned mail-in surge will keep shaping final tally through June 9 deadline, with Raman’s gain on Pratt tied to those late ballots.

History

Historical Context

The 2000 Florida recount, stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court, left George W. Bush ahead of Al Gore by 537 votes out of nearly six million. The narrow outcome drove new ballot-verification standards used nationwide. In the 2024 Los Angeles City Council race, a 7,494-vote difference between Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt has prompted a DOJ audit led by Attorney Bill Essayli, echoing those reforms.

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Raman Overtakes Pratt

Councilmember Nithya Raman overtook Spencer Pratt for place, securing a runoff against Mayor Karen Bass.
Raman has 27.12% of votes, Pratt 26.69%, and Bass leads with 34.68% after 83% of ballots were counted.
Raman leads Pratt by 3,113 votes while ballots postmarked June 2 are accepted through June 9.
Bass’s campaign warned Raman she allows encampments near schools and opposes hiring more police.
The two finishers will meet in the November 3 runoff.

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