Mamdani Tops Polls as New Yorkers Vote in 2025 Mayoral Election

Post by : Raina Nasser

New York: Voting began Tuesday across all five boroughs as the city entered the final day of the closely watched 2025 mayoral election. Polling stations opened at 6:00 am and will remain open until 9:00 pm (GMT), with nearly five million registered voters eligible to participate.

The New York City Board of Elections reports a record 734,317 early ballots were submitted during the nine-day early voting period—more than four times the early participation recorded in 2021.

Recent RealClearPolitics polling places Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in the lead at 46.1%, giving him a 14.3-point edge over independent Andrew Cuomo, who averages 31.8%, while Republican Curtis Sliwa polls at about 16.3%.

Mamdani, a Queens state Assembly member and a first-generation immigrant of South Asian and Ugandan descent, has drawn strong support from younger and progressive constituencies. His platform includes proposals such as universal free childcare, fare-free bus service, and a citywide rent freeze.

His ascent in the race accelerated after former mayor Eric Adams withdrew earlier this year following a federal bribery investigation that has since been dismissed, a development that opened the contest to new contenders.

Andrew Cuomo, the former governor now running as an independent, is campaigning on public safety, economic recovery and infrastructure renewal, positioning himself as a centrist alternative. His bid received an unexpected boost on Monday with endorsements from President Donald Trump and tech magnate Elon Musk—an unusual alignment that analysts say could influence moderate voters.

Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, continues to stress law-and-order policies along with animal welfare and homelessness initiatives, but remains well behind in the polling averages.

Political commentators expect robust turnout as New Yorkers decide among markedly different policy agendas: Mamdani’s progressive reform package, Cuomo’s centrist agenda and Sliwa’s law-and-order focus.

Observers say the election’s outcome will not only determine the city’s direction for the next four years but also contribute to the national debate over urban governance and the future of progressive movements in American politics.