Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman has secured a majority vote in the March 5 primary election, surpassing the threshold required to avoid a runoff.
As of March 13, Ms. Raman has garnered 50.64 percent of the vote, leading the race for the District 4 seat by over 7,600 votes, according to unofficial results from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
“I’m waiting for every vote to be counted, but the clearer picture of the results we’re seeing is very exciting,” the councilwoman said in a statement. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve this incredible city as a member of its council, and I very much hope to see what more we can accomplish with four more years of work.”
Her opponent, Deputy City Attorney Ethan Weaver, follows in second place at 38.62 percent, while neighborhood council member Levon Baronian trails behind with 10.74 percent.
Mr. Weaver, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, acknowledged the tight race, expressing gratitude to the thousands who supported his campaign.
“I do want to say thank you to all the thousands of people who rallied to our campaign,” he said, “and I’m asking for them to be patient while the remaining votes are counted.”
According to his campaign website, Mr. Weaver outlined priorities if elected, including addressing the city’s homelessness crisis and improving public safety, while also focusing on increasing housing, supporting first responders, and bolstering small businesses.
Likewise, Ms. Raman championed solutions to homelessness and the housing crisis in her campaign. Additionally, she emphasized her commitment to advocating for renters’ rights and protections.
Ms. Raman garnered over $438,000 in campaign contributions and received additional support from over $400,000 in independent expenditures. Mr. Weaver amassed around $345,000 in contributions and received backing from over $700,000 in independent expenditures. Mr. Baronian collected approximately $39,000 in campaign contributions.
The final outcome, determining whether Ms. Raman will continue representing a district spanning from Silver Lake to Reseda, will be certified by March 29.
Should she maintain her lead above the 50 percent mark, she will clinch reelection outright. But, if her vote share dips below this threshold, she and Mr. Weaver will advance to a runoff in November.
