Spencer Pratt loses LA mayor's race as Nithya Raman surges through to runoff after massive dump of ballots

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Spencer Pratt has been dumped out of the Los Angeles mayoral election as another huge surge in ballots went Nithya Raman’s way on Monday.

Raman, a far-left councilwoman, will face Karen Bass in the runoff in November after the incumbent was confirmed a place last week.

Monday’s count added another 33,378 to Raman’s total overnight, while Pratt only gained 14,672 and Bass added a further 25,121.

Raman now sits on 28.5% of the vote, with Pratt on 26.7% and Bass on 34.7% with 93% of the votes counted across the region.

It marks the end of the reality TV star’s dramatic bid for mayor, with thousands backing his cause after his home burned down in the Palisades Fire.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman speaking at a press conference after casting her ballot.

Nithya Raman widened her lead over Spencer Pratt for the second place spot. CHRIS TORRES/EPA/Shutterstock

Spencer Pratt wearing a "Let It Burn" hat and "Heidiwood" t-shirt, while holding his phone and standing next to one of his sons.

BACKGRID

Raman said in a statement she was “incredibly honored,” adding: “For too long, City Hall has prioritized giving political advantage to powerful interests that fund elections.

“Meanwhile, working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services, and a city that has stopped working for them.”

Bass also spoke out after the fresh results, with her spokesman Douglas Herman immediately attacking Raman, saying: “A campaign against Nithya Raman, who allows encampments near schools and cuts the police force, is one Mayor Bass looks forward to winning.”

Just hours before the latest figures dropped, Pratt had issued a bold rallying cry to his fans saying he was still clinging on to hope.

He wrote on X on Monday morning: “Folks, we’re dealing with a fraction of a percentage point difference. There’s still hundreds of thousands of votes outstanding, and LA officials have given us the next three weeks to count! Let’s git-r-dun!”

Karen Bass acknowledging supporters at an election night party.

Karen Bass is leading the race by a wide margin. Ringo Chiu for CA Post

Pratt did not immediately comment on the Monday night results but was seen wearing a “Heidiwood” T-shirt and signature “Let it Burn” hat during an frozen yogurt outing earlier in the day with his sons in Carpinteria.

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The slow and chaotic vote count has exposed deep frustrations with California’s elections system, where it can sometimes take weeks to get a final tally of votes.

That’s because California law requires only that ballots be postmarked by election day — meaning the public doesn’t even know the outstanding tally of votes left to be counted until days after the election.

Election workers processing ballots at a Los Angeles County facility.

Los Angeles’ slow vote count has fueled criticism and claims of fraud. Jonathan Alcorn/Zuma / SplashNews.com

President Donald Trump has called California elections “crooked” and a federal prosecutor was dispatched to the Los Angeles County ballot processing facility on Friday. Trump claimed last week the California primary election was “under investigation” by the US Attorney’s Office.

“California law prioritizes counting every valid ballot, not just the fastest ballots,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Registrar told The California Post.


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In the governor’s race, Monday election updates included drops from Alameda County that narrowed Steve Hilton’s second-place lead over Tom Steyer to roughly 200,000 votes, according to Associated Press.

Democrat Xavier Becerra will advance to the November general election. Steyer, who is in third place, has vowed to wait until all votes are counted.