Many Los Angeles voters were unable to watch Wednesday night's mayoral debate between Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman due to technical issues with the livestream.
Viewers attempting to access the Zoom webinar were met with a message stating that the event had reached its maximum capacity. The notice suggested that users might be able to join if other attendees left, or to try again later.
The debate, organized by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and co-sponsored by the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council and the Sherman Oaks/Encino Chamber of Commerce, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two candidates since the June primary. The election is scheduled for the Nov. 3 runoff.
Bass secured 34% of the vote in the primary, with Raman close behind at 29%. Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt finished third, failing to advance but drawing national attention to the race.
Frustration mounted online as potential viewers expressed their disappointment with the lack of accessibility. Social media users questioned the decision to restrict access to the debate, especially given the limitations of the virtual platform. One user on X, formerly Twitter, stated, "Zoom is at capacity. Why are we allowing a local homeowners association restrict video access to the only LA Mayoral Debate. What tf are we doing?"
Another user commented, "Insane. First general election mayoral debate for the nation’s second largest city can now ONLY be heard on the radio." Concerns were also raised about the organizers' technical preparedness, with one user noting, "The Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association didn’t spring for a professional Zoom account, so sorry, you can’t watch the Mayoral debate if you’re just logging in now. Seriously, what is this amateur hour foolishness? The City has a television channel."