Mamdani leads in New York mayoral race

Early voting in New York City’s mayoral contest proceeded at a quiet but steady pace at an upper Manhattan polling site as voters weigh a race reshaped by incumbent withdrawal and shifting political currents. The campaign is dominated by Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a progressive state assemblyman who won a contentious ranked-choice primary after incumbent Eric Adams abandoned his re-election bid amid scandals. Mamdani, backed by younger voters, unions, tenants’ and climate groups, has campaigned on an ambitious progressive platform emphasizing affordable housing, dramatic rent measures, expanded public transit and free bus service, the redirection of some police funding into community programs, and major investments in green energy and public-housing renovation.

Mamdani’s proposals include freezing rents for millions and paying for expanded services through higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy — ideas that opponents, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary) and business groups, deride as impractical. Cuomo, who has highlighted his housing credentials from time in federal office, and moderate critics note the state governor’s refusal to approve tax hikes and question fiscal feasibility. National voices have also weighed in: former President Donald Trump has attacked Mamdani as a “communist” and even suggested deploying the National Guard to the city if Mamdani wins, injecting a nationalized tone into a municipal contest.

The Republican nominee, former NYPD deputy commissioner Joseph Borelli, runs on a law-and-order platform calling for restored police budgets and tougher crime measures, appealing to older and suburban voters alarmed by public-safety concerns. Several independents and centrists, including entrepreneur Kathryn Wylde, present alternatives emphasizing managerial competence and fiscal discipline.

Polls in mid-October showed Mamdani with a substantial lead citywide and especially strong support among 18–34-year-olds, while Borelli fared better with older cohorts; analysts warn turnout among independents and Latino voters could prove decisive. Debates and campaign events have centered on policing, migrant shelter policy and rent regulation, issues that expose deep divides across boroughs and socioeconomic lines.

If elected, Mamdani would become the city’s first Muslim and first East African–born mayor, a milestone that would reflect broader demographic and political shifts.