LOS ANGELES — Voters in Los Angeles cast ballots Tuesday in a nonpartisan mayoral primary that has drawn national attention due to the candidacy of reality television star Spencer Pratt, who is running as an independent against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman.

The race will determine which two candidates advance to the November general election. If any candidate receives more than 50% of Tuesday's vote, they would automatically become the next mayor without a runoff.

Outside polling locations across the city, interviews with voters revealed deep frustration over homelessness, which residents identified as the defining issue shaping their choices in both the mayoral and gubernatorial races.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive voters who spoke to Fox News Digital expressed support for Mayor Karen Bass, acknowledging the challenges she has faced while arguing she remains the best candidate to address homelessness among those running.

Shelley Zuckerman, a voter in the Westchester neighborhood, said homelessness is her main motivation but ultimately backed Pratt. "The fact that he's not a politician, so he may or may not be a liar, we don't know that yet, and I know that he wants to do something for LA that the politicians have been saying they're going to do and then don't," she said.

Patrick Reynolds, another Westchester resident, said he is "not happy with any of the candidates" but voted for Bass "a little reluctantly." He argued she remains the best choice on homelessness despite being mayor for four years. "Homelessness for sure," he said when asked about his top issue.

A voter named Diane, who said she supported Bass, told Fox News Digital: "That's number one on my list, and I think she's tried very hard to fix that problem. It's a big problem, I know." She added that she appreciates Bass because "she's not some rich billionaire," noting she can relate to the incumbent mayor.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative voters expressed frustration with the direction of Los Angeles under current leadership and pointed to homelessness as evidence of systemic failure regardless of which party holds City Hall.

Reynolds, who said he supports Republican Steve Hilton for governor, spoke at length about problems with homelessness near his neighborhood. He described a local park he said has become "too dangerous" to visit in recent years.

Dan Madden, a resident of Manhattan Beach, told Fox News Digital that if he could vote in LA proper, he would support Pratt. "The last 20 years in Los Angeles has been screwed," Madden said about the homeless situation in the Los Angeles area. "It's getting worse. They cleaned up here and there. Spots, especially along the beach, coastline, you see it cleaned up. Two months later, everybody's back."

Pratt, a registered Republican running as an independent, has argued that his outsider status gives him an advantage over career politicians. His campaign has focused on homelessness as a central issue, with his proposals drawing attention for their blunt framing.

What the Numbers Show

Los Angeles has seen its homeless population grow significantly over the past decade. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's point-in-time count has documented tens of thousands of unsheltered individuals in the city, with advocates and critics alike pointing to these figures as evidence that current approaches have failed regardless of which administration has been in power.

The 2026 mayoral race features three major candidates: Bass seeking a second term after becoming mayor in 2022, Raman who represents the 4th Council District on Los Angeles City Council, and Pratt whose campaign has generated significant media attention as an unconventional candidate without prior elected experience. The nonpartisan primary system means party registration does not appear on ballots for this race.

The Bottom Line

Tuesday's results will determine whether Pratt advances to November alongside Bass or Raman, or if the incumbent manages to secure more than 50% of the vote and avoid a runoff entirely. The race has highlighted how homelessness continues to dominate local political discourse in California's largest city, with voters expressing frustration that neither party has solved the problem despite years of promises and resources.

What remains consistent across voter interviews is dissatisfaction with the status quo, though opinions diverge sharply on which candidate offers the best path forward.