After months of ambitious campaign promises, interparty attacks, and national scrutiny, New York City’s contentious mayoral race will come to a head in the coming days as New Yorkers begin casting their ballots.
Election Day, on Nov. 4, is in a little over a week. But with early voting about to get underway, many voters may head to the polls even sooner. Here’s everything to know about the election, and how to vote in it.
What is the deadline to register to vote?
The last day to register to vote in person in this election is Oct. 25. If you’re voting by mail, registration applications have to be received by Oct. 25 as well. You can register to vote online, by mail, or in person. You can visit the NYC Board of Elections website for more information on how to register.
If you’re not sure if you’re registered to vote, you can check your status here.
When does early voting start?
People who want to vote early can do so starting on Oct. 25. You can drop off your ballot at an early voting poll site until Nov. 2, or at an Election Day poll site on Nov. 4 by 9 p.m.
You can go to this website and enter your home address to find your poll site. The website will generate the address of the poll site, as well as voting dates and hours. Early voting hours vary by day—for instance, some days are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., whereas others are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.—so if you’re planning to cast your ballot early, make sure to check the hours on the day you plan on going. On Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you’re still in line when the polls close on Nov. 4 and are registered, you legally have the right to vote.
Your early voting poll site may not be the same location as your Election Day site, so double check the address before heading out to vote.
Who’s on the ballot?
There are three mayoral candidates on the ballot: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani; former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who’s mounting an independent run; and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. Current Mayor Eric Adams was previously running an independent campaign, but ended his re-election bid last month. On Thursday, he endorsed Cuomo in the race—a stunning shift from his previous criticisms of the former governor.
Over the summer, Mamdani defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary in a remarkable political upset that made national headlines and shocked the Democratic establishment.
Mamdani, who maintains a double-digit lead in the latest polls, has campaigned on issues of affordability, promoting ambitious ideas such as free city buses, rent freezes, and city-run grocery stores. The 34-year-old state assemblymember has also positioned himself as a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, criticizing the President’s policies and vowing to push back against him if elected.
If he wins the election, Mamdani will be New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
Read more: ‘A Politics of No Translation.’ Zohran Mamdani on His Unlikely Rise
Cuomo faces an uphill battle in the race against Mamdani. The former governor has sought to appeal to moderate Democrats, independents, and Republicans. His campaign has emphasized public safety and combatting anti-semitism—both areas in which he and other opponents have levied accusations against Mamdani during the campaign.
As the end of the race approaches, tensions have continued to rise between Mamdani and Cuomo. In a radio interview on Thursday, Cuomo seemed to agree when the host suggested that if a terrorist attack occurred in New York City, Mamdani would be “cheering.” When asked about the interview, Mamdani called Cuomo’s remarks “disgusting” and condemned the former governor for making “racist attacks” against him.
Mamdani has proposed creating a Department of Community Safety to “prevent violence before it happens” and contended that police have been relied on too much for issues that can be handled with other programs. His opponents have slammed him over his previous criticisms of the New York Police Department, but Mamdani has since emphasized his desire to work with the department.
He has also faced accusations of anti-semitism from his opponents over his criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. The assemblymember has repeatedly spoken out against anti-semitism and vowed to fight it if elected.
Cuomo, meanwhile, has been haunted by past controversies during his campaign. In 2021, he resigned from his position as governor in disgrace after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He has denied the allegations. Critics have also condemned him for withholding data about the number of COVID deaths in nursing homes while he was leading the state. During a debate for the Democratic primary mayoral race over the summer, Cuomo claimed that his administration “didn’t undercount any deaths.”
Sliwa, meanwhile, is the only Republican in the mayoral race. The founder of street patrol nonprofit Guardian Angels, he has also emphasized public safety on the campaign trail. Despite facing calls to withdraw his candidacy as Mamdani’s opponents have looked to consolidate support behind Cuomo, Sliwa has refused.
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