Voters in New York City are taking to the polls to pick their new Mayor.
The race stands out for its three-way dynamic with progressive, establishment and conservative candidates vying for control of the largest city in the United States.
The election is a three-way race between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly; Andrew Cuomo, former Democrat Governor of New York state and now independent contender and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels citizen crime patrol group.
The New York City mayoral race is playing out against a backdrop of heightened political polarisation in the US, as was highlighted in September when a Texas man was charged with making “terroristic” threats against one of the candidates.
Opinion polls showed Democrat Zohran Mamdani holding a clear lead over independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Speaking to reporters after casting his ballot at a high school in Astoria, Queens, Mamdani appeared optimistic. “We are on the brink of making history in our city, on the brink of saying goodbye to [the] politics of the past,” he said.
He downplayed some polls suggesting that he may not have the support of the majority of New Yorkers, saying, “I believe that victory is a mandate in and of itself.”
US President, Donald Trump has threatened to restrict federal funds to New York City if Mamdani wins the mayoral race. Commenting on this, Mamdani said, “I look forward to fighting for … every single dollar the city is owed.”
In New York, Mayoral races are usually called quickly. This time, however, with two candidates vying for the support of the city’s mostly Democratic voters, it may take longer to determine the outcome. The winner will be sworn in on January 1, 2026.
Other Elections Aside New York City Mayoral Vote
The vote for a new Mayor of the US’s largest metropolis might be drawing the lion’s share of attention, but it’s not the only race happening today.
Voters on both coasts are set to cast ballots in significant elections, with a race for a new Governor in both New Jersey and Virginia, as well as voting ending in California on a redistricting measure sought by the state’s Democratic leadership. The race seeks to redraw congressional district boundaries ahead of next year’s midterms.
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, who currently serves in the US House of Representatives, is facing off against Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former state Assembly member who is running for Governor a third time.
The race is being closely watched for signs of whether the traditionally Democratic state could be turning red in the wake of Trump’s strong showing there in the 2024 presidential election.
In Virginia, Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the current Lieutenant Governor, and Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a US Congresswoman, are facing off in a race that will provide the state’s first woman Governor.
In California, voters have their last day to cast ballots to approve or reject Proposition 50, a redistricting measure backed by the state’s governing Democrats that would temporarily scrap independently drawn congressional district lines and adopt new district maps that would favour Democrats.
