The political landscape in California is undergoing significant changes as the latest vote counts reveal shifts in both the Los Angeles mayoral and gubernatorial races. The elections, held against the backdrop of recent wildfires, have captured national attention as a barometer for progressive leadership.
In the Los Angeles mayoral contest, former reality star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, has seen his lead narrow against Councilwoman Nithya Raman. Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton maintains a slim lead over Democratic contenders xavier becerra and Tom Steyer.
Los Angeles Mayoral Race: A Tight Contest
The latest vote tally shows Pratt with 163,549 votes, maintaining a near 6% lead over Raman, who has 130,473 votes. However, Raman gained over 10,000 votes in the latest count compared to under 6,000 for Pratt, indicating a closing gap. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass has already secured enough votes to advance to the November general election.
The race for the second spot in the runoff election has become a tight battle. With 83% of total votes counted, Raman now leads Pratt by a narrow margin, holding 196,198 votes (27.1%) to Pratt’s 193,085 (26.7%). The exact number of remaining vote-by-mail, provisional, and outstanding ballots left to be processed remains unknown, adding to the uncertainty.
Gubernatorial Race: Hilton Holds Slim Lead
In the governor’s race, Republican Steve Hilton has maintained a slim lead over former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Hilton has 1,533,435 votes as of the latest count, while Becerra trails with 1,470,100 votes. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer is further behind with 1,139,517 votes. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, the top two will advance to a November runoff.
The counting process in California is known for its length due to the high volume of mail-in ballots. With 81% of voters sending their choices by post in 2026, the state leads the nation in mail-in voting. The final results could take weeks to determine, as the state did not have its official final results from the 2026 election until December.
The Impact of Mail-In Ballots and Voting Trends
The slow pace of vote counting is attributed to the state’s reliance on mail-in ballots. A bipartisan bill passed in 2026 requires ‘non-problematic’ votes to be counted within 13 days, but the process remains complex. The latest updates show that mail-in ballots with an election day postmark will continue to be accepted by county election officials through Tuesday, with updated results released every day through June 12.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the outcomes of these races will have significant implications for the future of progressive leadership in California. The tight contests in both the mayoral and gubernatorial races highlight the dynamic nature of the state’s political scene.
