Los Angeles Elections: Caruso Leads in Race for Mayor, Sheriff Villanueva Trails in Reelection Bid

People line up to vote at Plummer Park in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 8, 2022. (David McNew/Getty Images)

In the hours after the polls closed Nov. 8, the Los Angeles races unfolded in unexpected ways, with businessman Rick Caruso taking a slight lead over his opponent U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) in the mayoral race and county Sheriff Alex Villanueva trailing far behind his opponent.

Angelenos voted for a new mayor to replace termed-out Eric Garcetti, as well as a new city attorney, controller, and new city councilors for the 5th, 11th, 13th, and 15th districts.

Hundreds of thousands of voters in Los Angeles County went to the polls despite a rainy forecast. As reported by the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office, over 1.1 million ballots were cast, accounting for 19 percent of the county’s 5.6 million registered voters, as of 12 a.m., Nov. 9.

Final results were not expected on election night, since officials expect mail-in ballots to arrive in the days to come.

Here are the preliminary results of some key races in the City and County of Los Angeles as of 9:30 a.m., Nov. 9. The next update will be on Friday, according to the county registrar.

Los Angeles Mayor

In the nonpartisan race to replace incumbent Eric Garcetti, Bass currently has 48.8 percent of the vote, behind Caruso’s 51.3 percent. Both are Democrats.

Bass is running on a platform to keep Los Angeles’s values progressive and has received endorsements from former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary Hillary Clinton, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and dozens of other state and federal Democrats.

Caruso, a billionaire builder known for constructing some of Los Angeles’ most beloved malls and plazas, registered as a Democrat before entering the race in February, was previously an Independent and before that, a Republican. He is endorsed by the Los Angeles Protective League and several celebrities such as music manager Scooter Braun, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Chris Pratt, and Snoop Dogg.

City Attorney

The City Attorney race—which will decide who will hold the position to defend the city against legal claims, write legislation, pursue legal claims, and prosecute some misdemeanor crimes—is between civil rights attorney Faisal M. Gill and finance attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto.

Soto earned 57.8 percent of the vote, beating Gill’s 42.2 percent.

Soto is endorsed by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.

Endorsements for Gill include those from the California Nurses Association, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Feel The Bern Democratic Club.

City Controller

The controller is the city’s chief accounting officer responsible for auditing the city’s spending while overseeing about 160 city employees. The controller is also responsible for advising the city on how to spend its funds.

With nearly 61 percent of the vote, accountant Kenneth Meija is expected to replace incumbent Ron Galperin, who was elected in 2013 and termed out, as City Councilman Paul Koretz received 39 percent.

Meija is endorsed by San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, Streets for All, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.

Koretz is endorsed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, LA City Attorney Mike Feuer, and Galperin, among others.

City Council District 5

Katy Young Yaroslavsky—former senior environment and arts policy deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl—had 55.5 percent of the vote, a comfortable lead over attorney and small business owner Sam Yebri’s 44.5 percent.

The district—currently represented by Koretz, who is running for the city’s controller—encompasses Los Angeles communities in the Westside, central-eastern Santa Monica Mountains, and central-southern San Fernando Valley.

Yebri is endorsed by Los Angeles County of Supervisors President Holly Mitchell, Galperin, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, among others.

Yaroslavsky is endorsed by the Los Angeles Times, Planned Parenthood, and Streets for All, among others.

City Council District 11

In the race to replace Councilman Mike Bonin, who is not running for re-election, municipal law attorney Traci Park prevails over civil rights attorney Erin Darling with 55.5 percent of the vote compared to Darling’s 44.5 percent.

District 11 covers Brentwood, Del Rey, Mar Vista, Marina del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Palms, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Sawtelle, Venice, West Los Angeles, Westchester, and the Los Angeles International Airport.

Park is endorsed by the state Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, as well as organizations such as the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.

Darling’s endorsements include those from the Los Angeles Democratic Party, the Los Angeles Times, the Westchester-Playa Democratic Club, the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Union, a handful of progressive activists, and former U.S. presidential candidate Marianne Williamson.

City Council District 13

In a tight race, labor organizer Hugo Soto-Martinez, with 52.3 percent of the vote, is currently ahead of incumbent Mitch O’Farrell’s 47.7 percent.

District 13 covers Silver Lake, Echo Park, Westlake, Echo Park and western Elysian Park in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains, Atwater Village, Elysian Valley, and parts of the Los Angeles River within its northeastern borders.

Hugo is endorsed by Councilwoman Nithya Raman and the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, while O’Farrell is endorsed by most of his colleagues on the city council and the Los Angeles Democratic Party.

City Council District 15

Attorney Tim McOsker, with almost 65 percent of the vote, is on track to replace incumbent Joe Buscaino, who decided to run for mayor instead of reelection to the city council. Danielle Sandoval, a former restaurant owner, trails behind at 35 percent.

District 15 spans across all the city’s southern area and the Port of Los Angeles, including the neighborhoods of San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, and the Harbor Gateway. Watts also borders the district.

McOsker is backed by the California Democratic Party and several labor union groups. Meanwhile, Sandoval is endorsed by former City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and two other candidates who ran for the seat in June.

Los Angeles Board of Supervisors District 3

Vying to replace termed-out Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, California Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) leads with 51.2 percent of the votes in a close race against West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath, who garnered 48.8 percent.

The district encompasses the San Fernando Valley and the Westside—including the cities of West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica—as well as Canoga Park, Chatsworth, North Hollywood, and Pacoima.

The next supervisor will become one of five board members who oversee the county’s $39 billion budget.

County Sheriff

With nearly 57 percent of the vote, retired Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna is on track to replace incumbent Alex Villanueva, who was trailing at 43 percent.

The sheriff oversees the county’s law enforcement and operates the county jails and courts.

Luna is endorsed by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and other Democratic officials and organizations.

Villanueva is backed by former LA County District Attorney Steve Cooley, the Santa Clarita Valley Signal, and Ironworkers Local 433, among other officials and organizations.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.