New Yorkers are heading to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots for the city’s next mayor. And it’s not just NYC that’s invested.
The Democratic primary race between a fresh-faced 33-year-old democratic socialist and a seasoned politician clawing for a comeback has captivated the country—not just because the top candidates couldn’t be more different, but because the election could offer a glimpse of what kind of democratic candidates Americans are seeking to elect in other upcoming races. (The person chosen to lead America’s biggest city will presumably be a Democrat and could help set the tone for the party’s platform nationwide.)
A study in contrasts
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the two frontrunners in the mayoral race, are starkly different candidates—a fact that Mamdani, who would be New York’s first Muslim mayor if elected, has played into leading up to election day.
While Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as New York’s governor in 2021 over dozens of sexual harassment allegations, is backed by billionaire donors, centrists, and well-known democrats like Bill Clinton, Mamdani has the support of hard-leaning leftists like Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York’s 14th congressional district.
Prior to joining the mayoral race, Mamdani was essentially a political unknown. Still, he’s managed to gain major traction with emotional speeches, a captivating social media presence, and a laser-pointed focus on an issue that most New Yorkers (as well as most Americans) are deeply concerned with at present: lowering the cost of living.
“This is the most expensive city in the United States of America and New Yorkers are tired of having to worry each and every hour of each and every day about whether they can afford to live here,” Mamdani said yesterday to a crowd of supporters.
Ranked-choice voting system adds additional drama
Interestingly, in a rare move, the candidate isn’t just campaigning for his own leadership. He’s teamed up with other candidates, like State Senator Zellnor Myrie and city Comptroller Brad Lander, to block Cuomo from ranking in New York’s ranked-choice voting system, which was new to the city last year.
The system means that New Yorkers can cast votes for, not one, but up to five candidates. Mamdani and other candidates have been preaching to supporters to fill out their entire ballot but “Don’t rank Cuomo.”
Lander, meanwhile, had his own viral moment last week when he was taken into custody by federal immigration officials outside of a Manhattan courtroom, an incident caught on dramatic video.
On the other end of the spectrum from Mamdani, Cuomo is leaning into his experience as a seasoned leader. “This is not a job for a novice,” he told supporters this week. “This is not a job for a person who never really had a job before. We need someone who knows what they are doing on day one, because your lives depend on it.”
In recent weeks, the race has been heating up with projections that have stunned and excited Mamdani supporters.
While Cuomo was the clear frontrunner earlier this year, Mamdani pulled ahead in the most recent public poll, published Monday.
How can I track NYC election results in real time?
The polls don’t close in NYC until 9 p.m. Tuesday, but due to the city’s voting system, a final count could take a full week.
If one candidate is the first choice of a majority of voters, they’ll take the race. However, If no candidate emerges straight away, the tabulation of rankings would begin on July 1. Meaning, while NYC is already going to be hotter than your average summer day, the heat around this race could be even hotter.
With so much riding on who New York’s next mayor will be, voters and interested parties across the country are bound to be following closely as the votes come in. Here are a few ways to stay up to date:
Ways to watch:
- The New York Times will offer live updates on the race and election results as they come in. The outlet will show “simulated ranked-choice results for the first and final rounds of voting.” Find it here.
- PBS will show live election results as they come in, along with a live map to show how the city is voting in real time. Find it here.
- The Board of Elections will release “unofficial, first-choice-only votes” just after the polls close and continuously update the results. The results will be broken down into districts. Find it here.
If you’re a New Yorker who isn’t sure which election district you live in, you can look it up here.
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