L.A. Mayoral Race: Young Voters Favor Raman, Turnout Lags

Nithya Raman is leading Mayor Karen Bass by substantial margins among younger voters in the Los Angeles mayoral race, according to the latest Berkeley IGS / Los Angeles Times poll. The election is scheduled for Tuesday. Raman holds a 69 percent share of likely voters between the ages of 18 and 29, while Bass has 15 percent. The gap widens among voters aged 30 to 39, where Raman supports 74 percent and Bass supports 16 percent.

Campaign strategy reflects this demographic split. Raman’s team has released micro-drama advertisements targeting younger audiences. One video, which has received more than 200,000 views, compares Raman to a nonconformist character in a high school setting. A second ad featuring a couple discussing public transit improvements has garnered 400,000 views. Raman’s platform emphasizes affordable housing and renter protections, issues that ranked as top priorities for younger voters in a September poll.

Bass is not abandoning the younger demographic. During a campaign event in Panorama City, Bass stated that she was once a young organizer and does not believe in lecturing younger residents. Her campaign relies on a surrogate group called Youth 4 Bass. The organization is led by Sabahat Nabiha, a 22-year-old campaign staffer and UC Davis graduate. Nabiha reports that the group has approximately 240 members who hold in-person events and post content on social media platforms.

Endorsements from youth groups are shifting. The San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, led by Juan Solorio Jr., endorsed Bass after interviewing both candidates. Solorio cited Bass’s history of organizing as a key factor. Conversely, the Black L.A. Young Democrats, a group of about 500 members that Bass helped launch in 2012, endorsed Raman. Bailey Swain, the group’s president, said the board aligned more with Raman’s stance on LAPD accountability and housing zoning.

Ballot tracking data indicates a participation gap between age groups. As of Wednesday, 13 percent of eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 34 had submitted their ballots. In contrast, 47 percent of voters over the age of 65 had voted. Political Data Intelligence provided these figures. Laura Wray-Lake, a social welfare professor at UCLA, noted that younger voters often respond to competitive races and specific issue ownership. She described the current campaign as having the elements needed to drive engagement among this group.

City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who won reelection in the spring, noted that young voters are often disillusioned rather than apathetic. She said successful campaigns speak directly to real issues rather than using standard political language. Both campaigns continue to court this demographic as the election approaches. The Berkeley IGS / Los Angeles Times poll provides the current snapshot of voter intent, though final results will depend on turnout.