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About our live results<\/p>\n
The first batch of results released by officials typically includes vote-by-mail ballots received before Election Day and early votes cast at vote centers. After that first release, we’ll get in-person votes from Election Day. Later releases will include by mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day or returned to a voting center or dropbox. <\/p>\n
Keep in mind that, in tight races particularly, the winner may not be known for days or weeks after Election Day. That’s because early voting and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known<\/a>.<\/p>\n The incumbent, Kenneth Mejia, made headlines recently when he called out the city<\/a> for allowing nearly a half-billion dollars earmarked for programs and services for unhoused people to go unspent. He is being challenged in the race by Zach Sokoloff, an asset manager.<\/p>\n Whoever wins this seat could have a big new responsibility: auditing the LAPD, the city\u2019s largest and most expensive department<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow the vote after polls close<\/p>\n Our limited-run newsletter Make It Make Sense unpacks the ballot count and results, then checks in regularly on officials voted into office and the measures voters pass.<\/p>\n What it takes to win<\/p>\n If a contender gets more than 50% of the votes, he will win outright. If that doesn\u2019t happen (for example, if a write-in campaign attracts significant support), a runoff will be held in the November general election.<\/p>\n What\u2019s at stake in this race<\/p>\n The controller\u2019s job is all about reviewing the way the city spends money.<\/p>\n But make no mistake: this is not a routine bookkeeping role. Think of the city controller more as a watchdog.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re concerned about corruption in City Hall, this is a race \u2014 and an office \u2014 you\u2019ll want to pay close attention to. <\/p>\n And the winner of this seat could have a big new responsibility: auditing the LAPD, the city\u2019s largest and most expensive department<\/a>.<\/p>\n Why this race matters<\/p>\n Controllers are expected to audit every department in City Hall, and they have the authority to do so. But how they go about it and what they draw attention to is largely up to the officeholder, so individual candidates\u2019 campaigns and statements might give you a clue as to their approaches and priorities.<\/p>\n The next controller will be managing the city\u2019s accounting during the 2028 Olympics<\/a>, which had a $7.1 billion projected budget as of earlier this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Olympics are intended to be “no cost” for Los Angeles taxpayers \u2014 but the city’s financial exposure is unlimited<\/a>. The city and the state of California are the financial guarantors for the Olympics, meaning if the Games go into the red, L.A. taxpayers will pick up the tab. For example, city taxpayers are on the hook for the first $270 million in losses, if they occur. The California Legislature has agreed to make statewide taxpayers pick up the next $270 million. After that, any additional financial burden will fall back on Los Angeles taxpayers.<\/p>\n Campaign finance<\/p>\n Go deeper on the issues<\/p>\n About the vote count<\/p>\n For LAist’s charts showing vote counts, we get numbers directly from the L.A. County<\/a> and Orange County<\/a> registrars of voters for local races. Totals are updated on our site as soon as possible after the registrars provide new tallies. For statewide races, counts come from the California Secretary of State’s Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that, in tight races particularly, the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after election day. That’s because early voting and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known<\/a>. In L.A. County, for example, updates on the counting are expected to continue through June 26. After the polls close on election night, expect updates every 15 minutes or so through the early morning hours Wednesday. After that, expect updated counts around 5 p.m. on the following days: June 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 24 and 26. Final results must be certified by July 10.<\/p>\n Our priority during the vote count will be sharing outcomes and election calls only when they have been thoroughly checked and vetted by journalists. To that end, we will report when candidates concede and otherwise rely on NPR and the Associated Press for race calls (before official results). We will not report the calls or projections of other news outlets. You can find more about NPR’s and the AP’s process for counting votes and calling races here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tracking your ballot<\/p>\n You can track the status of your ballot through California’s BallotTrax website<\/a>.<\/p>\n If your mail-in ballot has any problems (like a missing or mismatched signature), your county registrar must contact you to give you a chance to fix it.<\/p>\n Official results<\/p>\n![\"visualization\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780486759_984_thumbnail.jpeg\")
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