Los Angeles, as a major metropolitan city in the United States, has drawn significant attention to this year’s mayoral election, marking the first election since the devastating fire in 2025. The current Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, is seeking re-election against 15 competitors, including key challengers such as Nithya Raman, the current City Council Member representing the Fourth District, and television personality Spencer Pratt.
Raman’s campaign leans more left, focusing on tenant rights protection and progressive housing policies, while Pratt’s platform emphasizes public safety and municipal budget issues.
On Wednesday evening, the three candidates participated in the Los Angeles mayoral television debate hosted by NBC4 and Telemundo 52. By Thursday morning, an online poll by NBC Los Angeles showed that an overwhelming 89% of voters believed Pratt won the debate.
During the debate, the moderator asked the candidates for clear answers on whether “non-citizens should be allowed to vote in local elections.” The moderator emphasized the need for a simple “Yes” or “No” response.
Republican candidate Pratt confidently responded with a firm “No.”
Democratic incumbent Mayor Bass refused to give a straightforward answer, stating, “It depends on the situation, this is not a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ issue. Not all non-citizens are necessarily illegal or undocumented immigrants, they may have green cards, have legal status… We also need to see what specific proposal the City Council puts forward.”
Democratic candidate Raman also avoided a direct response, explaining, “I must reiterate, it really depends on the specific circumstances.” The moderator interrupted her, requesting a clear “Yes” or “No” answer but to no avail.
Following the circulation of this discussion online, there has been intense debate. The issue stems from a motion put forward by a Los Angeles City Council Member last week to allow “non-citizens to participate in local election voting.”
Federal law strictly prohibits non-citizens from participating in federal election voting, and about 18 states in the U.S. have enacted regulations completely banning non-citizen voting. However, a few cities like Washington D.C. and California permit non-citizens to vote in certain local elections.
Hugo Soto-Martinez, a Democratic City Council Member in Los Angeles and a member of America’s largest socialist organization, supports and is advocating for “non-citizen voting.” He hopes this motion will be included on the ballot in November, citing the initial intent to promote fairness.
The proposal is currently in its early stages and will be voted on by the Los Angeles City Council in the future. However, opponents criticize this move as erroneous, citing the preamble of the U.S. Constitution which clearly states that the right to vote in elections is exclusive to American citizens.
As the campaign heats up, candidates’ statements continue to spark more discussions. In the Los Angeles mayoral election, if a candidate secures over 50% of the vote in the primary on June 2, they win directly; if no one reaches the majority, the top two candidates with the highest vote percentages will advance to the November runoff. ◇