Bass took advantage of the new political landscape to drub her rival, notching a nearly 10-percentage-point margin. Nearly 928,000 Angelenos cast votes for mayor, surpassing the previous high of 856,000 in the transformative, racially polarizing race in 1969, when the white incumbent, Sam Yorty, defeated his Black challenger, Councilman Tom Bradley.

With L.A.'s population a full 1 million under the 3.8 million it is today — and the total of registered voters only half the 2.2 million of today — the 1969 race drew an astonishing 76% turnout; this year’s Bass-Caruso matchup will be about 45%, according to county election officials.

Bass made history last week when she became the first woman elected mayor in L.A.’s 241-year history. Her vote total of 508,860 as of this week is already the highest ever for the city’s top job, and is more than double the number Eric Garcetti received when he became mayor in 2013.