Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt filed a formal complaint Tuesday accusing Mayor Karen Bass of illegal electioneering near a ballot drop box during early voting, escalating the fight ahead of the June primary.
The complaint, sent to the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office, claims Bass campaigned within restricted distance of a voting location while encouraging supporters to cast ballots early. Pratt’s campaign says the alleged violations were “clear, repeated, and publicly documented” in social media footage.
Attorney Peter McNulty, representing Pratt’s campaign, alleged Bass appeared in videos “soliciting votes” and “holding signs asking voters to vote for her” near a polling place and ballot drop box. The letter argues the conduct violated electioneering restrictions that bar campaigning within 100 feet of voting locations.
The complaint also claims Bass “flagrantly violated” City of Los Angeles Election Code provisions and California election law, and says a separate complaint has been filed at the state level.
“Karen Bass just violated election law here. She is so accustomed to breaking the law with no accountability, she even filmed herself doing it,” Pratt wrote on X while sharing the formal complaint and responding to a video Bass posted Monday.
Pratt said his campaign is not trying to police political speech, but is demanding equal enforcement. He argued the rules apply to everyone, including the sitting mayor, and said the issue is protecting the integrity of the voting process.
Karen Bass just violated election law here. She is so accustomed to breaking the law with no accountability, she even filmed herself doing it. Well, those days are over. We just filed a formal complaint for illegally gaming the election. We must protect our democracy.… https://t.co/NcgFElQSQA pic.twitter.com/Oz33YQ9Y7b
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) May 26, 2026
The allegations stem from a campaign clip posted about a week before the election. In the video, Karen Bass is shown speaking with supporters and campaign volunteers canvassing on her behalf. She later appears at a ballot drop box with others as ballots are submitted.
“Electioneering within 100 feet of a ballot box is AGAINST THE LAW. Soliciting votes at a ballot box is AGAINST THE LAW.
“These clear violations show a reckless disregard for the rule of law and our democratic process,” Pratt wrote, also accusing Bass of operating a “mafia-like regime.”
Los Angeles election rules generally prohibit campaign activity within 100 feet of a polling place, ballot drop box or elections office. The restrictions typically include soliciting votes, displaying campaign materials such as signs or logos, and engaging voters about how to cast their ballots near voting locations.
The Bass campaign denied any wrongdoing.
“Spencer is just mad that his supporters are AI cartoons and we have real Angelenos. We follow the rules,” Alex Stack, a campaign spokesperson for Bass, told The California Post.
The campaign said the video was filmed at two separate locations. According to the campaign, the portion featuring campaign signs was shot in the middle of a park, while the segment showing the ballot drop box was recorded elsewhere. The campaign said the two locations were roughly 200 feet apart.
The City Clerk’s Office has not publicly responded to the complaint.
The dispute lands as the race tightens. A recent Emerson College poll showed Bass at 30%, Pratt at 22% and Nithya Raman at 19%, with 16% undecided.
If no candidate clears 50% on June 2, the top two finishers advance to a November runoff.
Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>
