What happens if no LA mayor candidate wins majority of votes in June

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt and Los Angeles city councilmember Nithya Raman face off in the city’s fast-approaching mayoral election on Tuesday, June 2, as polls repeatedly show they’re the leading candidates in the race to lead one of the largest cities in the nation.

However, the Los Angeles mayoral race operates slightly different from the California gubernatorial primary election on June 2.

Californians statewide will determine which two gubernatorial candidates in the crowded field of contenders, regardless of their political party, win the primary election on June 2 and move on to the general election in November.

However, the Los Angeles mayoral race doesn’t have to extend to November like California’s governor’s race. A candidate for the city's mayoral election could win the race outright if they get a majority of votes. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in this June election, then the two candidates with the most votes will face each other in an election in November.

Why does this matter? Los Angelenos, and the nation, could know their next mayor within days or weeks as results come in, or they could presumably be in for several more months of advertisements, debates and campaigning between just two contenders.

Where to vote in 2026 LA election

You have several ways to vote:

• Return your vote-by-mail ballot by mail
• Drop off your vote-by-mail ballot at a drop box location near you
• Vote in person at a vote center near you, or drop off your vote-by-mail ballot there, too

See list of LA mayor race candidates

Here is the certified list of candidates running for Los Angeles mayor, according to the city clerk’s office:

• Bryant Acosta, chief creative officer
• Asaad Alnajjar, city of Los Angeles engineering manager
• Karen Bass, Los Angeles mayor
• Nelson Cheng, streamer and behavioral interventionist
• Rae Chen Huang, pastor and housing advocate
• Tish Hyman, musician and entrepreneur
• Andrew Kim, attorney
• Suzy Kim, mental health professional
• John Logsdon, neighborhood council board member
• Juanita Lopez, political scientist
• Adam Miller, nonprofit executive and entrepreneur
• Spencer Pratt, community advocate
• Nithya Raman, Los Angeles city councilmember and urban planner
• Andrej A. Selivra, enterprise technical architect

There are also two write-in candidates for the office: Griselda Diaz and Misael Ortega.

What are we voting for in Los Angeles?

Here’s the positions people will vote for on June 2, according to Los Angeles’ city clerk’s office.

• Mayor
• City attorney
• City controller
• Member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 2
• Member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 4
• Member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 6
• City councilmember positions for odd-numbered districts

Also on the ballot are several measures that includes a cannabis tax.

When do polls close on June 2?

Polls are open until 8 p.m. PDT on June 2.

Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].