If Nithya Raman wins Los Angeles’ November 3 mayoral election and takes office in December, residents of City Council District 4 could face a choice they didn’t expect: wait for the City Council to select their next representative, or get a chance to vote for one themselves.
The city’s charter allows both appointment and a special election. But the rules around the timing of a vacancy matter and they could affect whether District 4 residents get to choose a successor at the ballot box.
Raman currently represents CD4, which stretches from Los Feliz and parts of Silver Lake to the Hollywood Hills, Sherman Oaks, Encino and other neighborhoods. Her council term is scheduled to end December 10, 2028, according to the Los Angeles City Clerk.
As the mayoral race approaches, residents can follow the latest polling on Raman’s campaign. But if she wins, another question will quickly matter to her current constituents: who will speak for their neighborhoods at City Hall?
The next mayoral term is scheduled to begin December 14, 2026. If Raman wins and leaves her council seat to take office as mayor, District 4 would have a vacancy.
Under Section 409 of the Los Angeles City Charter, the City Council can appoint someone to fill a vacant seat. It can also pass an ordinance calling a special election. The council may appoint someone temporarily while a special election is held and the results are certified.
So a Raman victory would not automatically mean that CD4 residents get an immediate election. The council’s decision and the charter’s timing rules would determine what happens next.
Could an appointee serve through the end of the term?
The charter’s appointment rules are important in this scenario. In general, an appointee may serve until the next second Monday in December of an even-numbered year. If part of the unexpired term remains after that date, the council must also call a special election for the remainder. The charter includes a separate provision for appointments made after the filing period for the next primary election has begun.
Raman’s term is scheduled to end December 10, 2028, just before the next second Monday in December that year. Under the charter’s current wording, that timing suggests an appointment could potentially cover the remainder of her term without triggering a mandatory election under the appointment provision. The council also has authority under Section 409 to call a special election.
This is a legal interpretation of the charter’s timing provisions, not an announcement of what the city will do. The City Clerk or City Attorney should confirm how the rules would apply to a vacancy beginning in December 2026.
Why the choice matters to residents
A councilmember does more than attend meetings. The person representing CD4 votes on city budgets and legislation and helps shape decisions involving housing, homelessness, public safety, street repairs, parks and neighborhood services.
An appointment could allow the district to have a representative without waiting for a special election. A special election would give eligible voters a direct say in who holds the seat. Either way, the choice affects how residents can influence decisions that touch their daily lives.
The question also comes amid a larger debate about City Hall and political power. We have looked into the question on how Raman would face a City Council largely aligned with Mayor Karen Bass. The process for filling a possible CD4 vacancy raises a related issue: who gets to decide who represents a neighborhood when an elected official moves to another office?
What CD4 residents should watch
No appointment or special election should be treated as settled simply because the mayoral election is approaching. Residents can monitor City Council records and proceedings and the City Clerk’s election information for formal action. The Council District 4 website also provides district information for residents who want to confirm whether their neighborhood is included.
If Raman becomes mayor, the city should make clear who will fill the seat, how that person will be selected and whether voters will have an opportunity to choose their next councilmember.
For CD4 residents, that is the key question not just who takes the seat, but how much say the community will have in choosing the person who represents it.
