Election 2022: Caruso, Bass remain too close to call in LA’s mayoral race, per semi-official results
The race to be the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles doesn’t look like it will come to a quick resolution, with businessman Rick Caruso and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass within 2.5 percentage points after the Los Angeles County registrar released semi-official results from the 2022 statewide general election shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9.
Caruso had 51.25% of the votes counted compared to Bass’ 48.75%, , according to the registrar — with only about 12,300 votes separating them.
Los Angeles city had 2.1 million registered voters, as of Oct. 24, according to the California Secretary of State’s website.
While it’s unclear how many ballots are outstanding in the race, voter turnout countywide was trending higher than during the June primary, registrar spokesman Mike Sanchez said on Tuesday. Countywide turnout was 28.48% in June and 30.8% in LA city.
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso supporters celebrate at his election night party Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso supporters celebrate at his election night party Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso arrives to greet supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso greets supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso greets supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso arrives to greet supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso arrives to greet supporters on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At right is Caruso’s son Alex Caruso. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso checks out his venue for election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso and his son Alex Causo check out the venue as polls close election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At right is Caruso’s son Alex Caruso. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At right is Caruso’s son Alex Caruso. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso talks with reporters as the polls close on election night Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At right is Caruso’s son Alex Caruso. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass celebrates with family during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Election results are shown on the big screen as supporters listen to speakers during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass celebrates with family during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass celebrates with family during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass celebrates with family during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass walks past her family toward the podium as they hold up signs in support during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass walks past her family toward the podium as they hold up signs in support during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Family of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass holds up signs as they walk on stage during the Los Angeles County Democratic Election night party at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass during the Los Angeles County Democratic Party during Election night at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The registrar will provide its next update on the mayoral runoff on Friday, Nov. 11.
But either way, the winner of the contest to succeed Mayor Eric Garcetti, in which more than $113 million was spent by the two campaigns, probably won’t be known for days if not weeks.
A poll in mid-October conducted for the Southern California News Group had Caruso leading by 3 percentage points among likely voters. Another poll conducted late in October by UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, showed Bass ahead by 4 percentage points among likely voters. Both results were within the polls’ margin of error.
Bass, who led Caruso by 7 percentage points in the primary election, headlined the L.A. County Democratic Party’s election night party at the Hollywood Palladium, where, in a speech to supporters, she said Angelenos were “in a fight for the soul of our city.”
While acknowledging that the outcome of the race may not be known for days, Bass on Tuesday evening projected confidence that her campaign ultimately will prevail.
“When we win,” she said, “we’ll have to begin again. We’ll have to begin our efforts again because together, we want to have a City Hall that serves all the people. We want a City Hall that’s not just a City Hall for the powerful, not just a City Hall for the wealthy, but a City Hall that is for everyone.”
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Bass ended her speech leading the crowd in a chant of “We will win!” before walking off the stage to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.”
About 4 miles away, the Caruso campaign hosted its election night party at The Grove, one of the high-end retail shopping centers which the real estate developer is responsible for bringing to the city.
Caruso cast his vote earlier in the day at the Boyle Heights Senior Center, in the same neighborhood where his immigrant grandparents settled when they moved to Southern California.
“Casting my vote in Boyle Heights today, I thought of my grandparents – immigrants who relocated here searching for their American Dream,” Caruso wrote in a Facebook post. “LA gave them that & more. To have the opportunity to continue their legacy & serve the city I love as Mayor is surreal.”
