Latest news with #NewYorkCityBoardofElections
18-07-2025
- Politics
New York City Democratic mayoral primary: Mamdani declares victory, Cuomo concedes before ranked choice votes are counted
In the closely watched New York City Democratic mayoral primary, no candidate reached the 50% threshold needed to be declared the winner outright. But after a strong showing in the first round, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani declared victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded earlier, in what was shaping up to be a remarkable upset. The New York City Board of Elections reported as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday that Mamdani was leading among the candidates voters ranked first on their ballot, with 44% of the vote. Cuomo was second with about 36%. City comptroller Brad Lander followed with about 11%. The early results amounted to a strong showing for Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who had gained momentum in polling and fundraising in the closing weeks of the campaign and capitalized on social media virality and enthusiasm among younger voters. In an impassioned speech to supporters shortly after midnight, Mamdani declared, "Tonight, we made history," adding, "I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City." To his cheering supporters, Mamdani said, "We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford, a city where they can do more than just struggle, one where those who toil in the night can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the day." Cuomo addressed his supporters earlier Tuesday. "Tonight was not our night; tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani's night, and he put together a great campaign and he touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote," Cuomo said at an event Tuesday night. He added, "Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won. We're going to take a look and make some decisions." Shortly after his remarks, in a surprise announcement, Cuomo's campaign said he was conceding the primary and "looking toward November," indicating he was not ruling out an independent run. Earlier this spring, Cuomo's campaign said he would consider running on a "Fight and Deliver" ballot line in the general election that he says is meant for voters disillusioned with the Democratic Party. Cuomo's run for mayor was to mark his political comeback nearly four years after he resigned the governorship after several women accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. Cuomo has consistently denied the allegations. In the mayoral race, Cuomo has campaigned on a message of being the most experienced in the race and being the candidate who has already taken on President Donald Trump during his time as governor. Mamdani has focused on a progressive, economy-focused platform that included a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments and eliminating fares for New York City buses. Mamdani, who would be the city's first Muslim mayor and its youngest mayor in a century if elected, faced skepticism over the feasibility of some of his proposals and backlash over some of his comments on Israel. Even with Cuomo's announcement, the race is set to proceed to a ranked-choice count since no candidate of the 11 on the ballot got more than 50%. Tuesday's results do not yet reflect any ranked-choice tabulation. More comprehensive results won't be reported until July 1, when the board of elections plans to run the ranked-choice tabulations. Under the city's ranked choice voting system, if no candidate breaks 50%, the candidate with the least amount of votes is eliminated, and the vote tabulation continues in rounds. In the second round, voters whose first-choice candidate got eliminated get their second-choice vote counted. That keeps going until only two candidates remain, and the candidate in the lead at that point wins the primary. A spokesperson for the city's board of elections, Vincent Ignizio, told ABC News that the week-long wait for comprehensive results is due, in part, to the time it takes to retrieve voting machine data. The Board of Elections plans to finish counting votes over the next few weeks and will certify the results on July 15. Nearly 1 million New Yorkers voted early or on the day of the primary, per the board. During the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary, which was the first time New York City used ranked-choice voting, a total of 942,031 votes were cast in the mayoral race, according to data from the New York City Board of Elections. In heavily Democratic New York, it's likely the Democratic primary winner in the mayoral race has the advantage in the general election in November. Potentially complicating matters however, is the fact that incumbent Democratic Mayor Eric Adams is running as an independent in the fall.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Zohran Mamdani rallied Gen Z voters. We can't abandon him now.
New York Gen Z voters flexed our muscles to give Mamdani a primary win. Now we have to lock in and do it again in November. Back in June, New York state legislator Zohran Mamdani shocked the country by defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a crowded field of Democratic candidates in the party's New York City mayoral primary. In the process, he did something that Democrats have repeatedly failed to do: Mobilize Gen Z voters. News outlet PIX11 reported that according to the New York City Board of Elections, voters ages 25-34 had the largest turnout of any age group in the city, with 40% of early voters being under 40 years old. A quarter of these young voters, who range from young millennials to the oldest members of Generation Z, were first-time primary voters. Yet instead of studying Mamdani's success, political pundits seem to be blaming members of my generation for voting the way that they did this election. Mark Penn and Andrew Stein wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal calling Gen Z the 'useful idiot generation," saying that we have been 'indoctrinated to blame capitalism.' 'We all know that you can't have just free stuff,' Penn, a former adviser to the Clintons, said in an interview on Fox News. 'That never works; it always deteriorates. But they don't have any history or knowledge.' This argument is patronizing and willfully ignorant. We aren't "indoctrinated" by our college education. We are disillusioned by the way society operates and don't believe that corporations will save us. We are unsatisfied with the income inequality that plagues the United States and are stressed about our own finances. We believe that something better is possible. Now, we must plan to show Democrats these facts come November, so that we can show Republicans next. I'm a Gen Z 'useful idiot' who wants it all to change I am one of those so-called useful idiots, a twentysomething Gen Z voter who ranked Mamdani first on my ballot back in June. I was torn between him and New York Comptroller Brad Lander up until I was in the voting booth, where I ultimately decided to go with my gut. I didn't rank Mamdani first because I wanted to fit in, or because of his social media presence. I voted for Mamdani because I believe progressive policies can make New York City a better, more equitable place. I agree with taxing corporations and the wealthiest residents to provide services to the working-class people who keep our city running. Opinion: Democrats don't need to move to the center. Mamdani proves progressives can win. I even have some experience with some of his major proposals – not in New York, another blue region of the United States, or a socialist country, but in my home state of North Carolina. I saw the benefits of a fare-free bus system in my college town. I saw that the government can operate a commercial business and still offer a range of products through state-run liquor stores. These things can be done, and they can be done effectively. I'm also aware of how government functions. I know that Mamdani will have to work with the city, state and federal governments to accomplish all of his goals, which means that many of them will either not come to fruition or be watered down by political compromises. But they'll still be better than much of what Republicans are pushing, and I realize Trump supporters are confused by the idea of a functioning government that has checks and balances. Now I need Gen Z to show up and vote in November Although Gen Z had a strong showing in the Democratic primary, we have to stay focused on November if we truly want to see Mamdani elected mayor. Our summer support for Mamdani will be meaningless if he loses in the fall. The stakes are high for the general election, just like they were in the primary. Cuomo is likely running again as an independent; incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who has been increasingly friendly toward President Donald Trump, will be in the mix as well. Opinion: Republicans hurt rural Americans with their beautiful bill. Then they clapped. We want to be taken seriously as a voting bloc, and I believe we can be so long as we turn out to vote once again for Mamdani. This will also prove to Democrats that the party's best option is to move further left, not in a superficial way, like Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, but in policy. Mamdani still has work to do on behalf of Gen Z Of course, Mamdani still has work to do among Gen Z New Yorkers. Winning the Democratic primary does not guarantee him Gracie Mansion; he will have to maintain the momentum among the young cohort of voters who selected him. He can do this by continuing the campaign strategy that won him favor with Gen Z in the first place: by focusing on peer-to-peer interactions both in person and online. He must bring his message to all of New York City's boroughs and cut through the bipartisan attacks against him. Gen Z voted for Mamdani because we believe in what he has to offer. We don't need to be treated like children for believing that New York City could be a better place for our working-class neighbors. You may not like Mamdani; you may even believe his views are dangerous. You can't deny, however, that he has managed to accomplish something Democrats failed to do in the last presidential election, and that Gen Z wants to see bolder, progressive ideas from the Democratic Party. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno
The Herald Scotland
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Zohran Mamdani wins Democratic NYC mayoral primary instant runoff
Under the city's ranked choice voting system, with voters allowed to rank up to five candidates in their preferred order, the New York City Board of Elections released calculations showing Mamdani, 33, picked up more votes than Cuomo from those who had ranked one of the other nine candidates first. The Associated Press called the race for Mamdani on July 1 shortly after those results were announced. The nomination will become official on July 14 after affidavit ballots, which are not going to change the outcome, have been counted. Mamdani's victory, which the former governor conceded on election night, marked a shocking upset in Democratic politics. The latest results gave Mamdani an even more decisive win as votes from the nine candidates who received fewer first-place votes were transferred to whoever they ranked higher, Mamdani or Cuomo. More than 1 million New Yorkers voted in the election, with large increases among younger voters. "This is just the beginning of our expanding coalition to make New York City affordable," Mamdani tweeted. "And we will do it together." Mamdani, a democratic socialist, drew national attention for beating Cuomo, the 67-year-old Democrat and the initial frontrunner. The victory now makes Mamdani, once the leftist long shot in the primary, the leader in the crowded race for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election, which also includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Adams, a centrist Democrat, avoided the primary and is running as an independent after being mired in scandals. In the days since his victory, Mamdani has faced attacks from Republicans and conservatives for his faith as a Muslim, been falsely labeled a communist, and received a tepid welcome from many mainstream Democrats. President Donald Trump, a New York City native, has launched attacks against the Democratic nominee, including calling for his arrest and falsely suggesting he is in the United States illegally. Mamdani, born in Uganda, is a naturalized citizen. Endorsed by fellow democratic socialists Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mamdani campaigned heavily on a message of addressing affordability in the notoriously expensive city. His policy proposals include freezing rents on rent-stabilized apartments, free city buses and expanding child care. Critics have questioned how the mayor could enact such policies without the ability to levy taxes absent the state government's permission. Mamdani's campaign drew large numbers of new voters, while making gains in Asian American, Latino and progressive white communities. He and a slate of candidates began to cross-endorse each other under the city's ranked choice system to block what was seen as an inevitable Cuomo mayoralty. Mamdani formed a key alliance with city Comptroller Brad Lander, who stood by Mamdani's side on election night. Lander, an experienced, progressive politician who is Jewish, could help Mamdani in the days ahead to help secure support among many Jewish New Yorkers in the city with the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. Results showed Mamdani expanded his coalition among many Jewish communities. Mamdani faced criticism for his opposition to Israel as a Jewish state while refusing to condemn controversial phrases such as "globalize the intifada." Although Mamdani doesn't use the phrase, he has critiqued Israel's treatment of Palestinians and said Israel has a right to exist with equal rights for all. Cuomo, a three-term governor who resigned in 2021 amid accusations of sexual harassment and abuse of power, received substantial support among outer-borough Black, Latino and Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, as well as ultra-wealthy enclaves like Manhattan's Upper East Side. However, Cuomo did little outreach to voters or other candidates to expand his support. Cuomo's name will remain on the ballot in the November election. Cuomo hasn't decided whether he will fully campaign as a third-party candidate against Mamdani and a slate of other independent and Republican candidates. In a statement, Cuomo said young voters and others who had never voted before that changed the overall electorate. He didn't commit to staying in the race to November, though he pointed to receiving more votes than Adams, who won the primary in 2021, the first time the city used ranked choice voting. That election had lower turnout. "We'll be continuing conversations with people from all across the city while determining next steps," Cuomo said. Adams, the scandal-plagued moderate incumbent, remains deeply unpopular after corruption probes ensnared his administration. Federal prosecutors also indicted Adams in a corruption case, before he was accused of negotiating with the Trump administration to drop the criminal charges. Adams denies any wrongdoing. Trump spoke highly of Adams as "a very good person," in his July 1 press conference. "I helped him out a little bit," the president said of Adams, referring to the mayor's legal trouble. Adams hopes to rebuild the working-class coalition of Black, Latino and Orthodox Jewish New Yorkers that narrowly won him the Democratic primary. In the race to November, Adams also hopes to draw in Republicans opposed to Mamdani, though Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee, has said he won't drop out. As Adams, Cuomo and Sliwa jockey for moderate or conservative lanes, the Democratic nominee - in this case, Mamdani - is usually the prohibitive favorite in the heavily Democratic city. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zohran Mamdani clinches Democratic NYC mayoral primary in ranked-choice instant runoff
NEW YORK − State Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani has won the the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor after instant runoff results showed the young progressive winning 56%-44% over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Although Mamdani has been the presumed winner since he finished 7 percentage points ahead of Cuomo on June 24, his 44% of first-place votes fell short of the majority needed to actually win. Under the city's ranked choice voting system, with voters allowed to rank up to five candidates in their preferred order, the New York City Board of Elections released calculations showing Mamdani, 33, picked up more votes than Cuomo from those who had ranked one of the other nine candidates first. The Associated Press called the race for Mamdani on July 1 shortly after those results were announced. The nomination will become official on July 14 after affidavit ballots, which are not going to change the outcome, have been counted. Mamdani's victory, which the former governor conceded on election night, marked a shocking upset in Democratic politics. The latest results gave Mamdani an even more decisive win as votes from the nine candidates who received fewer first-place votes were transferred to whoever they ranked higher, Mamdani or Cuomo. More than 1 million New Yorkers voted in the election, with large increases among younger voters. "This is just the beginning of our expanding coalition to make New York City affordable," Mamdani tweeted. "And we will do it together." Mamdani, a democratic socialist, drew national attention for beating Cuomo, the 67-year-old Democrat and the initial frontrunner. The victory now makes Mamdani, once the leftist long shot in the primary, the leader in the crowded race for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election, which also includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Adams, a centrist Democrat, avoided the primary and is running as an independent after being mired in scandals. In the days since his victory, Mamdani has faced attacks from Republicans and conservatives for his faith as a Muslim, been falsely labeled a communist, and received a tepid welcome from many mainstream Democrats. President Donald Trump, a New York City native, has launched attacks against the Democratic nominee, including calling for his arrest and falsely suggesting he is in the United States illegally. Mamdani, born in Uganda, is a naturalized citizen. Endorsed by fellow democratic socialists Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mamdani campaigned heavily on a message of addressing affordability in the notoriously expensive city. His policy proposals include freezing rents on rent-stabilized apartments, free city buses and expanding child care. Critics have questioned how the mayor could enact such policies without the ability to levy taxes absent the state government's permission. Mamdani's campaign drew large numbers of new voters, while making gains in Asian American, Latino and progressive white communities. He and a slate of candidates began to cross-endorse each other under the city's ranked choice system to block what was seen as an inevitable Cuomo mayoralty. Mamdani formed a key alliance with city Comptroller Brad Lander, who stood by Mamdani's side on election night. Lander, an experienced, progressive politician who is Jewish, could help Mamdani in the days ahead to help secure support among many Jewish New Yorkers in the city with the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. Results showed Mamdani expanded his coalition among many Jewish communities. Mamdani faced criticism for his opposition to Israel as a Jewish state while refusing to condemn controversial phrases such as "globalize the intifada." Although Mamdani doesn't use the phrase, he has critiqued Israel's treatment of Palestinians and said Israel has a right to exist with equal rights for all. Cuomo, a three-term governor who resigned in 2021 amid accusations of sexual harassment and abuse of power, received substantial support among outer-borough Black, Latino and Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, as well as ultra-wealthy enclaves like Manhattan's Upper East Side. However, Cuomo did little outreach to voters or other candidates to expand his support. Cuomo's name will remain on the ballot in the November election. Cuomo hasn't decided whether he will fully campaign as a third-party candidate against Mamdani and a slate of other independent and Republican candidates. In a statement, Cuomo said young voters and others who had never voted before that changed the overall electorate. He didn't commit to staying in the race to November, though he pointed to receiving more votes than Adams, who won the primary in 2021, the first time the city used ranked choice voting. That election had lower turnout. "We'll be continuing conversations with people from all across the city while determining next steps," Cuomo said. Adams, the scandal-plagued moderate incumbent, remains deeply unpopular after corruption probes ensnared his administration. Federal prosecutors also indicted Adams in a corruption case, before he was accused of negotiating with the Trump administration to drop the criminal charges. Adams denies any wrongdoing. Trump spoke highly of Adams as "a very good person," in his July 1 press conference. "I helped him out a little bit," the president said of Adams, referring to the mayor's legal trouble. Adams hopes to rebuild the working-class coalition of Black, Latino and Orthodox Jewish New Yorkers that narrowly won him the Democratic primary. In the race to November, Adams also hopes to draw in Republicans opposed to Mamdani, though Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee, has said he won't drop out. As Adams, Cuomo and Sliwa jockey for moderate or conservative lanes, the Democratic nominee − in this case, Mamdani − is usually the prohibitive favorite in the heavily Democratic city. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zohran Mamdani wins Democratic NYC mayoral primary instant runoff
Mint
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Zohran Mamdani slams Donald Trump's arrest threats: ‘Will not accept this intimidation'
New York state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, condemned President Donald Trump's threats on Tuesday (July 1), calling them an attack on democracy. 'His statements don't just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation,' Mamdani said in a statement shortly after Trump's remarks. Speaking earlier at the newly opened 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, Trump warned that Mamdani would face consequences if he resists federal immigration enforcement. 'Well then, we'll have to arrest him,' Trump declared when asked about Mamdani's promise to 'stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.' The president went further, labeling Mamdani a 'communist,' a claim he has repeated for weeks. 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation,' Trump said. Trump also revived unfounded allegations about Mamdani's citizenship status: 'A lot of people are saying he's here illegally,' Trump asserted. 'We're going to look at everything. Ideally, he's going to turn out to be much less than a communist. But right now he's a communist. That's not a socialist.' Earlier on Tuesday, as he departed the White House, Trump told reporters: 'I think I'm gonna have a lot of fun with him, watching him, because he has to come right through this building to get his money.' He also threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani doesn't 'do the right thing.' In an interview on NBC, Mamdani dismissed Trump's labeling. 'I am not,' he said when asked if he is a communist. 'I have already had to start to get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I'm from, who I am. Ultimately because he wants to distract from what I'm fighting for. And I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed.' The New York City Board of Elections on Tuesday released updated ranked-choice results showing Mamdani holding a 12-point lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo—56% to 44%—in the Democratic primary. Current Mayor Eric Adams plans to run as an independent. The New York City mayoral election is scheduled for November 4.
