Over the past year, criticism of state and local leaders has centered on the idea that they didn’t respond appropriately to the fires and haven’t helped enough in the aftermath — now fire survivors and surrounding communities alike are looking at the 2026 elections to have a say in what happens next.
The June 2, 2026 primary ballot will include races for:
- Mayor
- City Controller
- City Attorney
- select Council Districts
- select Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education Districts
- measures adopted by the City Council
- Statewide elections, including the California gubernatorial election
Let’s take a look at some of these races that could have an effect on rebuilding efforts and what candidates in those races have said about the Los Angeles fires.
Mayor of Los Angeles
At the time of this writing, several individuals are running for mayor. Mayors for Los Angeles serve a four-year term. Karen Bass, the current mayor of Los Angeles, is running for re-election.
Mayor Bass has been heavily criticized — for being out of town when the fires erupted in January 2025, for the fire department’s response to the fires, and for her handling of the recovery. The Los Angeles Fire Department fell under scrutiny for failing to deploy more firefighters to the Palisades area in the wake of forecasted fire weather, and failing to use tools such as thermal imaging to check for embers. Mayor Bass replaced the fire chief in charge at the time of the fires, and later replaced that chief. She has also put executive actions in place to remove the “red tape” and speed up the process of rebuilding. Some homeowners have said Bass has not delivered on those promises, such as waiving permit fees for rebuilding.
This table shows some notable candidates in this race:
| Category | Karen Bass | Rae Chen Huang | Spencer Pratt | Nithya Raman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Current role |
Current mayor of Los Angeles | Senior organizer with Housing Now! California | Reality television star from The Hills | Los Angeles City Councilmember representing District 4 |
|
Campaign focus |
Ran in 2022 focused on homelessness and housing affordability. Bass’ current campaign highlights progress made in office, including a reported nearly 20% drop in homelessness and rapid fire cleanup, per her campaign. | Focuses on “housing for all” and building an economy for the people. She has said she is not accepting campaign money from corporations. | Has shared limited policy details so far, framing his campaign around challenging city leadership. | Has focused her council work on housing, homelessness, and affordability. |
|
Political context |
Was widely expected to secure re-election prior to the wildfires, which placed renewed scrutiny on her leadership. | Has emphasized affordability and tenant protections as core issues. | Posted on X that he entered the race after seeing no one challenge Bass. | Entered the mayoral race shortly before the filing deadline. |
|
Wildfire connection |
Bass’ brother lost his Malibu home in the Palisades fire. | Has spoken publicly about the impacts of wildfire displacement. | Pratt’s home and one owned by his parents were destroyed. He is suing the city over the Palisades fire. | Represents neighborhoods in and near the Santa Monica Mountains, including areas affected by wildfire risk. |
As a surprise to some voters, billionaire Rick Caruso announced he will not be running for mayor this year. Caruso owns the Palisades Village shopping center, which was largely unscathed in the fires; he partnered with Mayor Karen Bass and LA Lakers head coach JJ Redick to rebuild the Palisades Recreation Center, which was damaged in the fire. He also founded Steadfast LA, a nonprofit supporting recovery efforts in the Palisades, Malibu, and Altadena. Austin Beutner, former LAUSD superintendent, also announced his withdrawal from the race. On the last day to file paperwork, Los Angeles City Councilmember (District 4) Nithya Raman entered the mayoral race. As a city council member, Raman has worked closely with Mayor Bass. She is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.
City Council District 11
City Council members work closely with the mayor. Some of their tasks include modifying or approving the Mayor’s budget and authorizing public improvements.
City Council District 11 is the westside region of Los Angeles, which includes the Palisades. Traci Park is the incumbent for this district and will run for re-election in 2026.
In 2022, Park challenged Mike Bonin, who held the office before her, and she blamed him for the homelessness crisis in Venice, where she lives. She was a “rookie” candidate who had a career as an attorney. Park has been aggressive with addressing the homelessness crisis. She has partnered with Mayor Bass for the Inside Safe program and has used Municipal Code 41.18 to ban tent encampments near schools and playgrounds.
Councilwoman Park has spoken frequently about her experiences in the aftermath of the January 2025 wildfires. Last year, she put forward a motion to use ULA (the “mansion tax”) funds for Palisades renters, but the motion failed.
So far, there is only one other candidate in this race. Faizah Malik is an attorney endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and several local unions. Her platform centers around affordability.
Governor of California
One state-wide election getting a lot of attention is for the office of governor. The current governor of California is Gavin Newsom, who will not run again due to term limits. Governors serve four-year terms, and they can serve two consecutive terms.
On June 2, 2026, there will be a “top-two primary” for the gubernatorial race to determine who will be on the November general election. All candidates, regardless of political party affiliation, will run against each other at once.
There are many candidates in this race, including former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Many candidates have spoken about affordability. Tom Steyer, a billionaire entrepreneur and activist, has been vocal that the utility companies are to blame for the fires and should be held accountable.
Becerra, Porter, Steyer, and U.S. Rep. Eric Stalwell participated in a debate organized by the California Environmental Voters. They discussed many topics focused on climate change, and all candidates said they would support legislation that forces utility companies to pay for damages from wildfires.
There’s still a lot of time between now and June, and things can change. We hope this guide gives you a starting point to help you determine which candidates will support the issues you care about.
You can register to vote at the California Secretary of State website. The deadline to register is 15 days before election day. The primary election will be held on June 2, 2026.
[At this time, Lotus Rising LA is not endorsing any candidates. All information in this article is for educational purposes only.]
Disclaimer: The content shared in our blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical, or financial advice. Please consult with a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.
