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Voters in New York City will determine their next mayor on Tuesday, concluding a dynamic campaign featuring Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, independent contender Andrew Cuomo, and Republican hopeful Curtis Sliwa.
Early voting has wrapped up, with 734,317 ballots submitted over nine days—more than four times the number from 2021, according to the New York City Board of Elections cited by Al Jazeera. Current polling averages from RealClearPolitics show Mamdani with 45.8%, leading Cuomo at 31.1% by 14.7 points, and Sliwa at 17.3%, trailing by 28.5 points.
Late Monday, endorsements from Donald Trump and Elon Musk for Cuomo emerged. It remains uncertain whether these last-minute expressions of support will influence voters.
This election follows the exit of incumbent Democrat Eric Adams, who withdrew from the race on September 29 after struggling in polls. Adams, in office since January 2022, faced controversies including a federal bribery and conspiracy indictment, which was dismissed in April.
The race clearly delineates ideological lines between progressive, establishment, and conservative factions within the city.
How voting works: Unlike the primaries that utilized ranked-choice voting, the general election employs a first-past-the-post system—whoever gets the most votes wins.
As of February, NYC had approximately 5.1 million registered voters, with about 65% Democrats, 11% Republicans, and roughly 1.1 million unaffiliated voters.
Voter registration closed on October 25 ahead of the November 4 election. In 2021, just over 1.1 million votes were cast, representing around 21% turnout. To qualify, residents must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old on Election Day (pre-registration at 16-17 allowed), have lived in NYC for at least 30 days, not be incarcerated for a felony, not be deemed mentally incompetent by a court, and not be registered in another location.
Polling stations will open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day, with some variations—opening between 8 and 10 a.m. and closing between 4 and 9 p.m. Early voting ran from October 25 to November 2, with locations listed on the NYC Board of Elections website.
Candidates on the ballot:
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Zohran Mamdani (Democrat): A 34-year-old New York State Assembly member for Astoria, Mamdani has energized progressive voters with proposals for universal free childcare, free public transportation, and a rent freeze affecting approximately one million rent-regulated units. His platform also includes increasing taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents, raising corporate taxes, and expanding affordable housing.
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Andrew Cuomo (Independent): The 67-year-old former governor is running after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. Cuomo, who resigned four years ago amid sexual harassment allegations later dismissed in court, has focused his campaign on public safety, promising to add 5,000 NYPD officers and crack down on quality-of-life offenses. Trump, who has called Mamdani a “communist,” endorsed Cuomo on Sunday, with billionaire donors urging Sliwa to drop out to unify anti-Mamdani voters. Elon Musk endorsed Cuomo on Monday.
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Curtis Sliwa (Republican): The 71-year-old candidate emphasizes law and order, pledging to cut bureaucracy and attracting outside investment, particularly in areas beyond Manhattan. His campaign has had limited traction in recent polls.
An estimated five million voters are expected to cast ballots on November 4 to select NYC’s next leader.
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