New York Mayoral Race 2025: Mamdani Holds Lead as Early Voting Breaks Record

New York: Voting stations across all five boroughs opened Tuesday morning for the 2025 New York mayoral contest, beginning at 6:00 am and running until 9:00 pm (GMT). Nearly five million registered residents are eligible to vote in the decisive round of a closely watched municipal election.

The New York City Board of Elections reported a record 734,317 early ballots submitted during the nine-day early voting period—more than quadruple the early turnout recorded in 2021.

Aggregated polling from RealClearPolitics places Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani ahead with 46.1%, followed by independent Andrew Cuomo at 31.8% and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 16.3%.

Mamdani, a Queens assembly member and a first-generation immigrant of South Asian and Ugandan descent, has drawn strong support from younger and progressive demographics. His platform calls for measures such as universal free childcare, fare-free buses, and a freeze on rents citywide, positioning his campaign as a push toward social equity and grassroots-driven policy.

His surge comes after former mayor Eric Adams withdrew earlier this year amid a federal bribery inquiry that has since been dismissed, an exit that reshaped the candidate field and opened opportunities for newcomers.

Andrew Cuomo, the ex-governor campaigning as an independent, is pitching a comeback centered on public safety, economic recovery and infrastructure investment. His effort received unexpected endorsements from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Monday—an atypical pairing analysts warn could influence swing voters.

Republican Curtis Sliwa, best known as the founder of the Guardian Angels, continues to stress law-and-order policies alongside animal welfare and steps to curb homelessness, but he remains well behind in current polls.

Political commentators expect robust turnout as New Yorkers weigh sharply different proposals for the city's future—Mamdani's progressive agenda, Cuomo's centrist pitch and Sliwa's conservative focus.

Observers say the outcome will not only determine New York's direction for the next four years but could also feed into the broader national debate on urban governance and progressive politics in the United States.