Karen Bass Concedes Los Angeles Mayor’s Race to Nithya Raman; Transition Begins After NBC Call

LOS ANGELES — Thursday, November 5, 2026. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has conceded the city’s November 3 mayoral election to Councilmember Nithya Raman, according to statements reported by NBC Los Angeles. NBC News projects Raman as the winner after a Thursday-morning election release widened her lead. Bass said she had personally congratulated her opponent and pledged cooperation on a smooth transition. The political concession is a major development; the official election canvass is not yet finished.

Thursday figures: a wider lead than Wednesday

The new Thursday-morning results cited by NBC show 429,450 votes (52.1%) for Raman and 394,796 (47.9%) for Bass, a 34,654-vote difference. On Wednesday evening the figures stood at 405,193 and 379,069 respectively — a 26,124-vote gap. Comparing two dated releases reveals the lead increased by 8,530 votes, but does not by itself establish the number of ballots still awaiting validation or make the results certified.

What Bass said

In her Thursday statement, Bass acknowledged that the voters had delivered a different outcome than her campaign had hoped. She said she had called Raman to congratulate her and had committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition. This statement matters independently of NBC’s race projection because it removes uncertainty about whether the incumbent plans to contest the result publicly.

Raman’s response

Raman released a video thanking her supporters for canvassing, calling and persuading neighbors. She also paid tribute to Bass’s career as a nurse, activist, state lawmaker, member of Congress and the first woman to serve as mayor of Los Angeles. That acknowledgement does not erase the policy disagreements between the two campaigns over housing, service delivery and the city’s approach to homelessness.

A new administration — but legal counting continues

The role of a media Decision Desk is to project an electoral outcome from the votes and turnout information available. The registrar’s role is different: election officials process all eligible vote-by-mail ballots, review provisional and conditional registrations, reconcile records and certify the legal results. Los Angeles County plans a continuing series of updates and expects certification by November 27; the California Secretary of State’s statewide certification is set for December 11. Until then, the numbers can change even though NBC has called the contest.

What changes at City Hall?

City government must plan for continuity in staffing and operations as the next mayor prepares to take office. Housing, homelessness, police and fire services, transportation, emergency preparedness and the city budget are consequential responsibilities for the administration and City Council. Reporting on the transition should distinguish policy proposals, decisions actually taken and the practical authority of each city office. Residents can follow the City of Los Angeles for official administrative notices and the LA County Registrar for vote counting.

Previous election reporting

California58 has tracked the race since Election Night in its continuously updated mayoral vote-count article. The earlier nightly totals have been retained as historical snapshots, and readers can see exactly when the reported lead changed. This separate story concerns the concession and political transition, not another unsupported election call.

Source: NBC Los Angeles, November 5, including the candidates’ reported statements and the Thursday morning county tally. Attribution is explicit; no certified winner is declared by California58.

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