No candidate received a majority of the primary votes to be elected outright, and the top two finishers, Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel advanced to a runoff vote.

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan but candidates receive support and endorsements from their respective parties or affiliated organizations.

The Los Angeles County Republican Party endorsed Kevin James, the lone Republican in the field, while the Los Angeles County Democratic Party supported the candidacies of Garcetti, Greuel, Perry and Pleitez without making an endorsement.

Incumbent mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was ineligible to run because of term limits.

[12] Also a question was the role that Villaraigosa's popularity would play; in 2009 his support was seen as more of a liability than an asset.