2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

The 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election will be held on June 2, 2026, to elect the mayor of Los Angeles, California.^[1] If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election will be held on November 3, 2026. Incumbent mayor Karen Bass announced her re-election bid in July 2024.^[2]

2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

← 2022 June 2, 2026 2030 →

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass

Background

Karen Bass was elected mayor of Los Angeles in 2022, defeating Rick Caruso in the most expensive election in the city's history.^[3] Caruso may seek a rematch in the 2026 election.^[4] In the wake of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, Caruso has emerged as a vocal critic of Bass's administration.^[5][6] Kenneth Mejia, the Los Angeles City Controller, who has frequently criticized the Bass's budget for FY2024-25 for the large increases to LAPD funding and decrease of LAFD funding, has been floated as a potential contender.^[7]

Candidates

Declared

• Karen Bass, incumbent mayor^[2]

Potential

• Rick Caruso, CEO of Caruso and runner-up for mayor in 2022^[7]
• Kenneth Mejia, Los Angeles City Controller^[7]

See also

• 2026 California gubernatorial election
• 2026 Los Angeles elections

References

1. "Dates and Deadlines". Close the Gap California. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
2. Zahniser, David (July 1, 2024). "L.A. Mayor Karen Bass launches her reelection bid, saying, 'We cannot afford to stop our momentum'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
3. Hyde, Carter; Kahn, Gabriel (November 4, 2022). "Mountains of Money in the 2022 Race for L.A. Mayor, As Visualized in Four Charts". KCET. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
4. Smith, Dakota (June 1, 2024). "Rick Caruso stokes talk about his political ambitions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
5. Saul, Derek (January 8, 2025). "'There's No Water Coming Out Of The Fire Hydrants': Billionaire Caruso Becomes Top L.A. Fires Critic". Forbes. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
6. Arango, Tim; Baker, Mike; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (January 9, 2025). "'Completely Dry': How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
7. Wick, Julia (January 13, 2025). "With her city in flames, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' political future hangs in the balance". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 13, 2025.