New York City Council Elections (2025)

New York City Mayoral Election (2025) was held on 4 November 2025 in New York, the most populous city in the United States. The election took place after incumbent mayor Eric Adams withdrew from the race and featured Democratic Party candidate Zohran Mamdani, independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Party candidate Curtis Sliwa.

According to unofficial results announced by the Associated Press (AP) after vote counting was completed, Zohran Mamdani won the election with 50.4 percent of the vote. Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo received 41.6 percent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa received 7.2 percent. Mamdani defeated his closest rival Cuomo by approximately nine percentage points, with 1,016,968 votes.

With this result, the 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani became the first Muslim mayor in New York City’s history.

Election System and Process

The election was conducted across New York’s five administrative boroughs. Brooklyn has a population of 2.73 million, Queens 2.4 million, Manhattan 1.69 million, the Bronx 1.47 million, and Staten Island approximately 495,000.

To be eligible to vote, individuals must be U.S. citizens, have resided in New York for at least 30 days, be at least 18 years old, not be incarcerated for a felony conviction, and not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court. Voters registered in other states were not permitted to vote in this election.

The 2025 election used the “first-past-the-post” system, in which the candidate receiving the most votes wins outright without the need for a runoff.

Early voting began on 25 October and ended on 2 November 2025. According to data from the New York City Board of Elections, more than 734,000 voters participated in early voting. This number exceeded four times the number of early votes recorded in the 2021 mayoral election.

In the 2021 election, approximately 1.15 million voters participated, yielding a turnout rate of 23.4 percent. In the 2025 election, turnout exceeded 2 million, reaching the highest level since 1989.

On election day, 4 November 2025, polling places opened at 06:00 local time and closed at 21:00. Hundreds of voting centers were established across the five boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island). Voting operations were conducted under the supervision of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) with security measures in place.

Candidate Profiles

Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born in 1991 in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. He moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and earned a bachelor’s degree in African Studies from Bowdoin College. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018.

Mamdani was elected as the representative for New York State Assembly District 36 in the 2020 elections. This district encompasses the neighborhoods of Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights in Queens. Before assuming office, he provided eviction prevention counseling to low-income homeowners.

Throughout his political career, he has worked on issues related to housing policy, income inequality, and environmental justice. While serving in the New York State Assembly, he supported legislation on rental assistance, energy justice, and improvements to public transportation services.

Zohran Mamdani’s mother is film director Mira Nair and his father is Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. As of 2025, he is married to artist Rama Duwaji, a Syrian visual artist based in Brooklyn.

Mamdani’s campaign platform includes freezing rent increases, building publicly owned affordable housing, making public transit free, establishing publicly owned grocery stores in every borough, providing free child care services, and expanding school meals. To fund these policies, he proposes increasing tax rates on large corporations and high-income individuals.

Mamdani has made statements criticizing Israel’s military operations in Gaza. In a 2024 post, he used the phrase “Israel is committing genocide.” He has also publicly endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In a December 2024 interview, he stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested under international law if he visits New York.

Andrew Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo was born in 1957 in the Queens borough of New York. He received his education at Fordham University and Albany Law School. Cuomo served as New York Attorney General from 2007 to 2010 and as the 56th governor of the state from 2011 to 2021. He resigned in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment against a woman in his official residence. He was also investigated for using public resources to fund a memoir and for altering COVID-19 data.

Cuomo is running as an independent candidate in the 2025 election. He has stated that his campaign priorities include enhancing public safety, increasing police numbers, and prioritizing subway security. He has also made statements supporting Israel and served on a legal team defending against the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

Curtis Sliwa

Curtis Sliwa was born in 1954 in New York. He is a radio host and the founder of the crime prevention organization Guardian Angels. He previously ran in the 2021 New York City mayoral election but lost to Eric Adams. He is the Republican Party’s sole candidate in the 2025 election. His campaign focuses on public safety, crime reduction, homelessness, and lowering the cost of living. He has long made statements supporting Israel and is known for participating annually in the “Israel Day Parade.”

Democratic Party Primary (June 2025)

The Democratic Party primary for the 2025 New York City mayoral election was held in June 2025. A total of 11 candidates competed in the primary. Among the leading candidates were former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

The primary used the ranked-choice voting system. Since no candidate secured a majority in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes was eliminated and their voters’ second-choice preferences were redistributed to the remaining candidates.

According to the results, Zohran Mamdani led the first round with 43.5 percent of the vote. Andrew Cuomo followed with 36.4 percent. Brad Lander placed third with 11.3 percent. In subsequent rounds of counting, Mamdani received a large share of second-choice votes from Lander’s supporters. This distribution allowed Mamdani to surpass the majority threshold and win the primary.

The primary results were announced on June 25, 2025. Zohran Mamdani’s victory formally designated him as the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor. Cuomo announced shortly after the results that he would run independently in the general election.

Following the primary elections, Mamdani’s candidacy was historic, becoming the first Muslim and South Asian-origin candidate for mayor in New York’s history. During the primary campaign, Mamdani ran on pledges to freeze rent increases, provide free public transit, and increase taxes on high-income earners. Throughout the campaign, he conducted field operations in neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income voters.

Campaign Period

After the Democratic Party primaries concluded, Zohran Mamdani officially launched his campaign for New York City mayor in July 2025. Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa also began their campaigns during the same period. The candidates presented differing platforms on housing, public transit, cost of living, public safety, and tax policy. Zohran Mamdani proposed freezing rent increases, building social housing, and implementing free public transit. Andrew Cuomo emphasized his managerial experience and public security. Curtis Sliwa focused primarily on law and order policies.

Opinion polls from October 2025 indicated that Zohran Mamdani was leading Andrew Cuomo, while Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa remained at a significantly lower level of support. Foreign policy statements also entered the public discourse during the campaign. Mamdani commented on human rights violations in Gaza and stated that decisions by the International Criminal Court could be applied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Cuomo and several Democratic Party officials criticized these remarks. Approximately 22,000 volunteers participated in Mamdani’s campaign, which was funded primarily through small individual donations.

On the final day before the election, 3 November 2025, the candidates intensified their efforts. Andrew Cuomo met with voters in Manhattan and the Bronx, declaring that “socialism does not work in New York,” and held rallies in five boroughs throughout the day.

Zohran Mamdani walked across the Brooklyn Bridge in the early morning hours with his supporters, carrying a banner reading “Our time is now.” He and his supporters marched together to City Hall.

Pre-Election Statements and Political Positions

In the days leading up to the election, various statements were made by the candidates and national political figures.

A day before the election, Zohran Mamdani led a march across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall and addressed his supporters with a banner reading “Our time is now”: “When the sun rises, everything changes—the shadows on the river disappear, light reflects from the windows of office buildings, and you begin to feel the warmth of a new day. We felt this when we defeated Andrew Cuomo. Tomorrow at 9:00 PM ET, when the polls close, we will feel it again.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social, warned that if Mamdani became mayor of New York, he would severely “cut federal funding.” He added: “If the communist candidate Mamdani wins the New York City mayoral election, my likelihood of providing federal funds beyond the bare minimum is extremely low, because under a communist administration, this once-great city has zero chance of success—or even survival! The situation could worsen further under communist rule.”

Some senior figures in the Democratic Party remained cautious during the campaign. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not announce his endorsement. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries revealed his support for Mamdani only a few weeks before the election.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Mamdani by phone several days before the election. Obama did not issue an official endorsement but described Mamdani’s campaign as “a process worth watching.”

American actors and models Emily Ratajkowski, Bowen Yang, Cynthia Nixon, Mandy Patinkin, and Kathryn Grody endorsed Zohran Mamdani’s campaign. Mamdani also received support from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders.

Election Day (4 November 2025)

The New York City mayoral election began at 6:00 AM local time on 4 November 2025 and was scheduled to close at 9:00 PM. Voting took place at polling stations established across the five boroughs—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

Voter turnout on election day was exceptionally high. According to data from the New York City Board of Elections, by 3:00 PM local time, 1.4 million votes had been cast, surpassing turnout in previous mayoral elections and reaching the highest level since 2001. Later in the day, total votes exceeded 2 million, marking the first time since 1989 that turnout surpassed this level.

The Democratic Party candidate, Zohran Mamdani, cast his vote early in the morning at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School in Queens. In a statement to the press, he said, “We are on the brink of making history.”

Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo voted at the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. In his remarks, Cuomo said, “What you’re seeing is a civil war in the Democratic Party that’s been brewing for a while.”

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa met with campaign volunteers in the Bronx and Brooklyn before voting. One of Sliwa’s supporters described him as, “He was a protector of the neighbourhood.”

The New York Police Department (NYPD) implemented security measures at voting centers throughout election day. Additional police units were deployed in certain areas due to high voter turnout. Following bomb threats in New Jersey, security levels were raised in New York. Authorities confirmed that these threats were unfounded.

The New York City mayoral election was completed with high voter participation and extensive security measures. The vote counting process, due to the ranked-choice voting system, was expected to take several days.

Election Results

Voting in the New York City mayoral election held on November 4, 2025, concluded at 9:00 PM local time. By the time results were announced, 89 percent of ballots had been counted. According to the unofficial initial results released by the Associated Press (AP), Democratic Party candidate Zohran Mamdani led the race with 50.4 percent of the vote.

New York City Mayoral Election Results (2025)

According to AP data, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo received 41.6 percent of the vote, and Republican Party candidate Curtis Sliwa received 7.2 percent. The total number of votes cast exceeded two million. Mamdani received 1,016,968 votes, Cuomo received 840,191 votes, and Sliwa received 144,397 votes. With these results, Mamdani led his closest rival, Cuomo, by approximately 9 percentage points.

According to New York City Board of Elections data, voter turnout in the 2025 election surpassed the two million voter threshold for the first time since 1989. This represents the highest level of participation in the past thirty years. Following the election, Zohran Mamdani was officially declared the new mayor of New York. At age 34, Mamdani became the “first Muslim mayor of the City of New York.”

Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat after the results were announced. In a speech in Manhattan, he said: “Tonight belongs to them, and as they begin the transition to government, we will assist in every way we can, because the New York City government must function. We want it to work for all New Yorkers, because our city is the world’s greatest. We will unite for New York, because we love New York.”

Republican Party candidate Curtis Sliwa, in his remarks after the election, stated: “We are not only organizing—we are mobilizing, and we will be the most formidable opponents to the elected mayor and his supporters.”

Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Speech

Zohran Mamdani delivered a victory speech at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater on election night. The full speech is as follows:

Thank you, friends. Tonight the sun may have set over our city, but as Eugene Debs once said, “I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.” As far back as we can remember, New York’s working people have been told: Power does not belong to you; power belongs to the wealthy and the well-connected. Fingers bruised from lifting boxes in warehouses, calloused palms from gripping bike handlebars for deliveries, joints stiffened by kitchen fires… These are the hands denied power. Yet over the past twelve months, you had the courage to reach for something greater. And tonight, against all odds, we have seized it.

The future is now in our hands, my friends—we have toppled a political dynasty. I extend my very best wishes to Andrew Cuomo in his personal life. But tonight, I say his name for the last time; because we are turning the page—we are moving away from a politics that abandons the majority and only answers to the minority.

New York, you spoke tonight. You granted authority for change. You granted authority for a new kind of politics. You granted authority for a city we can actually live in. You granted authority for a government that will deliver exactly that. On January 1, I will be sworn in as Mayor of New York City. And this will happen entirely because of you.

So before I say anything else, I must say this: Thank you. I thank New York’s new generation, who refuse to accept that the promise of a better future has become a distant memory. You showed us that when politics speaks to you not from above, but as equals, a new era of leadership can begin. We will fight for you, because we are you. Or as we say in Steinway: ana minkum wa alaikum—we are with you, and we are of you.

I thank everyone who was often forgotten by our city’s politics but made this movement their own: the Yemeni grocers, the Mexican aunts, the Senegalese taxi drivers, the Uzbek nurses, the Trinidadian cooks, and the Ethiopian aunts—yes, the aunts.

Let every New Yorker in Kensington, Midwood, and Hunts Point know this: This city is your city. And this democracy is your democracy.

This campaign is for people like Wesley, whom I met outside Elmhurst Hospital on Thursday night, a member of the 1199 union, who works in New York but lives elsewhere—because rents here are so high, he commutes two hours every day from Pennsylvania. This campaign is for the woman I met years ago on the Bx33 bus, who said, “I used to love New York, but now it’s just where I live.” And this campaign is for taxi driver Richard, with whom I joined a 15-day hunger strike outside City Hall—he is still behind the wheel seven days a week. Brother, we are now inside City Hall. This victory belongs to all of them. And it belongs to the more than 100,000 volunteers who turned this campaign into an unstoppable force. Thanks to you, we will make this city a place where workers not only love it again, but can truly live in it. With every door you knocked on, every signature you collected, every heartfelt speech you gave, you tore down the wall of despair that once defined our politics. I know I asked a lot of you this year. I called on you again and again—and each time, you answered. But now I have one final request. New York, hold onto this moment. We have waited longer than we have held our breath. We held it while waiting for defeat. We held it as air was drawn from our lungs countless times. We held it because we dared not breathe. But thanks to everyone who made these sacrifices, we are now breathing the air of a reborn city.

To my campaign team—to everyone who believed when no one else did, who turned this election project into hope—I can never fully express the depth of my gratitude. You can rest now. To my mother and father—mama and baba: You made me the person I am today. I am proud to be your son. And to my incredible wife, Rama—hayati (my life): You are the only person I will ever want beside me, now and always. And to every New Yorker—whether you voted for me, voted for my opponents, or gave up on politics altogether—thank you for giving me the chance to earn your trust. Every morning, I will wake up with one purpose: to make this city better than it was yesterday.

Many people believed this day would never come—that every election would only condemn us to more of the same, that our future would be endlessly constrained by “less.” And there were those who saw politics today as a cruel arena where the flame of hope could no longer burn. New York, tonight we answered those fears. Tonight we spoke with a clear voice. Hope is alive. Hope is the decision made by tens of thousands of New Yorkers every day, in every volunteer shift, despite every attack ad.

More than a million of us stood in churches, gymnasiums, and community centers—we wrote our own line in the ledger of democracy. And even though we filled out our ballots alone, we chose hope together. Hope against tyranny. Hope against big money and small ideas. Hope against despair. We won because New Yorkers found the courage to believe that the impossible could be possible. And we won because we insisted, relentlessly, that politics is not something done to us—it is something we do. As I stand before you, the words of Jawaharlal Nehru come to mind: “Rarely in history does a moment arrive when we step from the old into the new; when one age ends, and the spirit of a long-oppressed nation finally finds its voice.”

Tonight, we stepped from the old into the new. So now, let us speak with absolute clarity and resolve: What will this new age bring, and for whom? This will be an era in which New Yorkers will no longer accept excuses from their leaders for what they dare not try—but will demand bold visions for what they will achieve. At the center of that vision will be an ambitious agenda to confront the cost of living as never seen since the Fiorello La Guardia era: freezing rents for over two million tenants, making buses fast and free, and delivering universal child care across the city.

Years later, let our only regret be that this day has come so late. This new era will be an era of relentless progress. We will hire thousands of new teachers. We will cut waste from bloated bureaucracy. We will work tirelessly to reignite the flickering lights that have long dimmed in the corridors of NYCHA housing.

Security and justice will walk hand in hand; we will reduce crime rates by working alongside police officers and establish a Community Safety Bureau to directly confront the crises of mental health and homelessness. Excellence will no longer be an exception in governance—it will be the expectation. And in this new era we build with our own hands, we will no longer allow those who trade in division and hatred to drive us apart.

In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light. Here, we believe in rising up for our loved ones—whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the countless Black women removed from federal service by Donald Trump, a single mother still waiting for grocery prices to drop—or anyone who has had their back pressed against the wall: Your struggle is our struggle.

We will build a City Hall that stands shoulder to shoulder with Jewish New Yorkers and never wavers in its fight against antisemitism. Here, over a million Muslims will know they belong—not just in five boroughs, but in the halls of power. New York will no longer be a city where Islamophobia can be used to win elections. This new era will be one where competence and compassion, long pitted against each other, are united. And we will prove that no problem is too large for government to solve, and no issue too small to matter.

For years, those in City Hall have only helped those who could help themselves. But on January 1st, we will open the doors of a city government that helps everyone. I know—many people may have heard our message filtered through a lens of deliberate misinformation. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and convince our neighbors they should fear this new era. And as is often the case, the billionaire class has tried to convince people earning $30 an hour that their enemies are those earning $20 an hour. They want the public to fight among ourselves so we forget how to rebuild a broken system. But we will no longer let them set the rules of the game. From now on, they will play by our rules.

Together, we will lead a generation of change. And if we embrace this bold path instead of fleeing from it, we can meet the power of oligarchy and authoritarianism not with the appeasement they desire, but with the strength they fear. After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that raised him. And if there is a way to frighten a despot, it is by removing the conditions that allowed him to seize power. This is not only the way to stop Trump—it is the way to stop the next one. Therefore, Donald Trump, I know you are watching: Speak up.

We will hold bad landlords accountable, because Donald Trumps in this city have grown too comfortable exploiting tenants. We will end the culture of corruption that lets billionaires grow rich through tax evasion and loopholes. We will stand with unions and expand labor protections, because we know as well as Donald Trump does that when workers’ rights are secure, the bosses who seek to exploit them shrink in power. New York will remain a city of immigrants: built by immigrants, worked by immigrants, and as of this night, led by an immigrant.

So listen closely, President Trump—If you want to reach any one of us, you must go through all of us. When we enter City Hall in 58 days, expectations will be high—and we will meet them. Once, a great New Yorker said: “Campaigns are written in poetry, but governance is written in prose.” If that is true, then let the prose we write rhyme, and let us build a city that shines for everyone. And we must chart a new path as bold as any we have ever walked. For “reasonable” people looked at me and said, “You are far from being a perfect candidate.”

I am young, no matter how hard I try to grow old. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And worst of all, I do not apologize for any of it. Yet if this night has taught us anything, it is this: The familiar has held us back. We worshipped at the altar of caution—and paid a heavy price. Too many workers no longer see themselves in our party; too many among us are turning right, searching for answers to why they were left behind. We will leave mediocrity in the past. We will no longer need to open history books to prove that Democrats can be great. Our greatness will not be abstract. Every renter who wakes up on the first of the month knowing their rent did not spike will feel it. Every elderly person who can stay in their home and keep their grandchildren close will feel it, because child care costs did not force them to move to Long Island. Every single mother who feels safe on her way to work and catches the bus on time will feel it, because she no longer has to sprint to drop her child off at school. And when New Yorkers open their morning newspapers, they will see headlines of achievement, not scandal. But most of all, every New Yorker will feel this: Because their beloved city finally loves them too.

Together, New York—rents (crowd: “We will freeze them!”) Together, New York—buses (crowd: “We will make them free!”) Together, New York—universal (crowd: “We will provide child care!”) Let these words we speak together, these dreams we build together, become our shared agenda. New York, this power is yours. This city is yours.”

National Reactions

Statements from Democratic Party and National Political Representatives

Following Zohran Mamdani’s election victory, numerous Democratic politicians and party representatives have issued statements. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in a post on her social media account, said: “I congratulate newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani. I look forward to working together to make New York a safer, fairer, and stronger place.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James stated: “History was made in our city tonight. I congratulate Zohran Mamdani, the child of immigrants, who will now lead the city of immigrants.”

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said following the announcement of the election results: “This is a powerful moment for progressives and all New Yorkers who believe in equality. Congratulations, Zohran.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended the election celebration and stood beside Mamdani as he took the stage. In a social media post, she wrote: “We built this together. We believed in a city that works for everyone, and tonight we proved it is possible.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer commented on the election results: “The outcome of this night signals the rejection of Trump’s agenda and demonstrates that New Yorkers are ready to embrace bold, progressive leadership.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also congratulated Mamdani, stating: “The people have sent a clear message. A new era is beginning for New York City.”

Republican Party and Opposition Reactions

Republican Party spokesperson Mike Johnson commented on the election results: “The Democrats in New York City have chosen an extreme radical and Marxist to govern their city. We will oppose his irresponsible policies at every step.”

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Reactions

U.S. President Donald Trump, while attending a breakfast with Republican members of Congress at the White House on November 5, 2025, commented on municipal and gubernatorial elections held in several states. Trump said the election night, in which Democratic candidate Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race and other Democratic candidates achieved strong results, did not satisfy Republicans.

President Trump remarked: “We did not expect last night to be a victory for Republicans. I do not think the results were good for Republicans. I don’t think they were good for anyone, but we had an interesting evening and learned a lot.”

Trump indicated he would conduct a comprehensive analysis of what the election results meant for the Republican Party, saying: “I want to discuss what we need to do and how last night’s outcome relates to the government shutdown. You will see, according to polls, that the government shutdown has been a major negative factor for Republicans.” Trump once again blamed Democrats for the political crisis, now entering its 36th day and recorded as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. “We are in the midst of a disaster created by the Democrats—a situation they caused, yet they are not being held accountable enough. This is now officially the longest government shutdown in American history,” Trump said, adding that the Republican Party would do what its principles required.

Later, U.S. President Trump attended the “America Business Forum” in Miami, where he delivered the opening speech. Focusing largely on praising his administration’s economic actions over the past year, Trump argued that in just one year in office, his administration had accomplished more than former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration had achieved in four years.

Regarding Mamdani’s election victory, Trump said: “On November 5, 2024, the American people took back our government and reclaimed our sovereignty. Last night in New York, we lost a portion of that sovereignty, but we will address it—do not worry.” Trump, who claimed the elections were “rigged,” added: “Watch what happened in New York—you will see terrible things. I hope it is not true, but you will see terrible things.”

Trump asserted that Democrats had elected a “communist” candidate in New York and warned that if they win congressional midterm elections, they will do the same in Congress. He urged Republican voters not to allow this to happen.

Trump said, "If you want to see what the Democrats in Congress want to do to America, look at the results of yesterday's elections in New York," and suggested that many people in New York would soon flee to other cities to escape "communism."