Polling stations have opened across New York City for one of the most closely watched elections in the United States — the city’s mayoral race.
Voters on Saturday are choosing among Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, though still listed on the ballot, withdrew from the race last month and has since endorsed Cuomo.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and New York State Assembly member, has surged ahead in recent polls by energizing progressive voters. His campaign centers on promises of free universal child care, fare-free buses, and a rent freeze for residents of the city’s roughly one million rent-regulated apartments.
Cuomo, meanwhile, has launched sharp attacks against Mamdani, focusing on the candidate’s criticism of Israel. Mamdani has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza — a position shared by several human rights groups and a UN inquiry.
The race has also been marked by religious tensions, as Mamdani, who would become New York’s first Muslim mayor, has faced anti-Muslim rhetoric during the campaign.
In a speech on Friday, Mamdani condemned the attacks on his faith. “To be Muslim in New York is to expect indignity, but indignity does not make us distinct. There are many New Yorkers who face it. It is the tolerance of that indignity that does,” he said.
Cuomo has criticized Mamdani’s proposals as “unrealistic” and “financially reckless,” urging voters to instead trust his experience as a former governor — a position he resigned from in 2021 following sexual harassment allegations.
The outcome of the election is expected to shape the future of America’s largest city, testing the political mood of urban voters and the strength of progressive movements heading into 2026.
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