Kalshi asks paid influencers to delete posts on Los Angeles mayoral election

Kalshi on Friday asked some of its paid political influencers to remove X posts that questioned the integrity of the Los Angeles mayoral election while promoting Kalshi odds, a spokesperson told Semafor. Earlier this week, one influencer with 1.7 million followers posted a series of messages claiming the election was being stolen from a candidate.

The posts included Kalshi odds on which candidates would advance from the primary and were labeled as paid partnerships.

Paid partnerships and election claims Kalshi and Polymarket have enlisted hundreds of paid influencers to share odds on sporting events, political races, and other outcomes. In recent days, some of those influencers posted messages suggesting late mail-in ballots were counted in ways that disadvantaged one candidate.

One streamer posted that mail-in ballots arriving last always favored Democrats, quoting Polymarket odds in a paid partnership post. Another influencer posted that nearly 100 percent of late votes went against the same candidate and questioned how that could occur.

Kalshi said the posts violated its affiliate marketing policies. A spokesperson stated the company had asked the users to remove the posts, and Semafor confirmed on Friday that the posts were no longer visible.

State response A spokesperson for California Gov.

Gavin Newsom criticized prediction markets for sponsoring claims that undermined election integrity. The statement said engaging in election misinformation for profit is sick and that additional conversations may be needed ahead of the November 2026 midterms.

A Polymarket spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Several influencers contacted by Semafor did not immediately respond to questions about whether users who bet on the candidate should receive refunds.