Raman leads Bass by 11 points in latest Los Angeles mayoral poll

A University of California Berkeley Institute of Government Studies and Los Angeles Times poll released Wednesday shows councilmember Nithya Raman leading Mayor Karen Bass by 11 points among likely Los Angeles voters. Raman, identified with the Democratic Socialists of America, has 39% support while Bass trails at 28%. The survey of 2,150 likely voters conducted online between Sept. 15 and 20 found that about one-third of respondents remain undecided.

"It's extraordinarily unusual to see this many undecided voters at this point in the race," poll director Mark DiCamillio said in a statement.

The poll also notes that many undecided voters previously supported independent candidate Spencer Pratt, who was eliminated in the June primary. Of Pratt’s backers, 63% remain undecided, 22% favor Bass and 16% favor Raman.

Raman highlighted the result on social media, saying the poll reflects momentum for change in the city. Bass responded that a single poll that missed the primary outcome “means very little with 40 days to go,” and she emphasized the race remains close.

The poll shows a generational split, with Raman leading voters aged 18 to 39, while Bass leads among those 65 and older. Favorability ratings indicate 63% of respondents view Bass unfavorably compared with 39% for Raman. The margin of error is about three percentage points.