Luna Extends Lead Over Villanueva as County Voters Back Labor Measure

Los Angeles County voters are leaning heavily toward incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna in Tuesday's election, according to early returns that show him leading his challenger by a wide margin.

The race serves as a rematch of the 2022 contest where Luna defeated former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Early data indicates Luna is holding a substantial advantage as the night progresses.

Luna positioned himself as a steady operator who has reduced crime and improved relations with state and federal leaders. He cited the department's handling of World Cup security and federal immigration deployments as evidence of his effective leadership style.

Villanueva, who served as sheriff for nearly two years during the early pandemic period, argued that Luna's approach has been too permissive. The challenger claimed that department morale and staffing have declined under Luna's watch.

In a phone interview Tuesday evening, Luna said he was extremely optimistic about the outcome but had not yet declared victory. He stated that voters compared the two candidates' terms and found a clear difference in performance.

Neither Villanueva nor his campaign spokesperson immediately responded to requests for comment late Tuesday evening.

Voters also addressed two major ballot measures affecting county government. Measure A, which showed strong support in early returns, would establish binding arbitration for public safety employees.

Currently, deputies, firefighters, and lifeguards cannot strike by law. If negotiations stall, the Board of Supervisors can impose a final offer that workers must accept. Measure A would replace this unilateral power with a mandatory arbitration process.

Unions representing these groups spent millions of dollars to support the measure. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath authored the underlying motion, and four of the five supervisors support the change.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell raised financial concerns about the measure but did not file a formal opposition. No other official opposition has been recorded.

Measure E, which is also far ahead in early returns, aims to correct administrative errors found in previous voter-approved measures. A 2020 measure set aside at least 10 percent of local revenue for jail alternatives.

A 2024 measure inadvertently repealed part of that funding through a language error discovered in June 2025. Measure E would restore that funding and formally create an independent ethics commission in the county charter.