The 2025 New York City Mayoral Election: A Turning Point in Urban Politics
The 2025 New York City mayoral election has turned into one of the most influential city-level political battles in recent American politics. On the United States mainland with over 8 million residents, New York City's choice of leader echoes across national politics, especially within the Democratic Party. This year's competition also reflected changing local priorities, tried the mettle of the progressive movement, the staying power of centrist politics, and the workings of New York's ranked-choice voting system.
Background and Context
The race took on greater significance when sitting Mayor Eric Adams, a centrist Democrat elected in 2021, declared that he would not run in the Democratic primary. In turn, facing several ethics investigations and in decline in USA popularity, Adams opted to run for the general election as an independent. Leaving the primary behind, his departure opened the way for all sorts of candidates, creating a dynamic and often contentious campaign cycle.
Adding to the drama was the return of one-time Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran for USA political redemption after he stepped down in 2021 amid allegations of U.S sexual harassment. Cuomo's political comeback amazed many analysts and quickly reoriented the campaign, calling attention to sharp contrasts between backroom political wheeling and dealing and a newer, more idealistic left.
Ranked-Choice Voting: Shaking Up the Game
The 2025 election was the second time New York City U.S employed ranked-choice voting (RCV) in a mayoral primary. Voters rank a maximum of five candidates according to their preference. When no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the lo
west-polling candidates are dropped one by one, with their votes transferred according to voters' next choice. This process is intended to promote coalition-building and minimize negative campaigning.
RCV had significant effects on campaign strategies as well as outcomes. Candidates would now need to appeal not just to their core, but also to more voters who USA might favor them as a second or third choice. This created weird coalitions and made ideological innocence less desirable in favor of greater generality.
The Main Candidates
Zohran Mamdani
At the age of 33, Zohran Mamdani made history as the Democratic nominee. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a Queens state assemblyman, Mamdani campaigned on solid progressive values. His platform involved:Free public transportation More public housingA city-run grocery system to combat food desertsMajor investments in climate resiliencyPolice reform through the creation of a new "Department of Community Safety"Mamdani was supported by progressive national USA leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and quickly built a grassroots following of young voters, tenants' rights organizers, and climate warriors.
Andrew Cuomo
C Cuomo's return to politics was greeted with enthusiasm and skepticism. Although he had resigned in shame, he had a loyal USA constituency and high name identification. His campaign emphasized executive ability, leadership in times of crisis, and a centrist style on crime, housing, and economic development.
Cuomo positioned himself as a steady hand during periods of unrest,USA reassuringly known to older voters, centrists, and traditional Democratic constituencies such as organized labor. His campaign also reignited debates about responsibility, redemption, and political resilience.
Brad Lander
As the City Comptroller, Brad Lander positioned himself as the progressive technocrat in the race. He emphasized fiscal discipline, USA housing policy, and climate action, while seeking to unify the party’s moderate and USA progressive factions. Lander garnered endorsements from The USA New York Times editorial board and progressive lawmakers, but struggled to distinguish himself amid the Mamdani-Cuomo showdown. Ultimately, he endorsed Mamdani in the final weeks, boosting Mamdani’s standing among hesitant center-left voters.
Other Challengers
The main contest featured a lineup of lesser lights, including:
Adrienne Adams, City Council Speaker
Scott Stringer, ex-Comptroller
Zellnor Myrie, State USA Senator
Jessica Ramos, left-wing labor ally
Whitney Tilson, hedge fund manager and education activist
Though they all brought unique policy ideas, none of them picked up much steam.
Key Issues That Defined the Contest
USA Affordability and Housing
USA New York's housing crisis was the preeminent concern in 2025. As rent soared and homelessness reached all-time highs, candidates offered differing solutions. Mamdani emphasized increasing public housing and mandating rent freezes, while Cuomo endorsed public-private partnerships to raise housing supply. Lander balanced zoning reform and anti-displacement efforts.
Crime and Public Safety
USA Crime was a thrilling issue, particularly after increased subway violence and USA NYPD scandals. Cuomo USA emphasized stringent crime enforcement and his record as governor on crime control. Mamdani promoted a public health approach to safety, shifting funds from police to mental health and community care programs.
Transit and Infrastructure
Mamdani’s call for fare-free MTA buses sparked a broader debate on transit equity. Lander proposed more investment in bike lanes and subway upgrades, while Cuomo emphasized maintenance and infrastructure safety.
Climate and USA Resiliency
All the USA candidates acknowledged climate threats, especially through recent flooding in Queens and Brooklyn. Mamdani demanded a Green New Deal for NYC, and USA Lander was pushing for data-driven adaptation policy. Cuomo's climate agenda was more about energy infrastructure and less about transformative policy change.
Foreign Policy and Identity Politics
While historically a local race, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict suddenly came into the mix. Mamdani, one of just a few Muslim members of the legislature in USA NYC, was plagued with USA criticism for past Israel criticism. USA Cuomo made unwavering pro-Israelism a centerpiece of his campaign, seeking to create contrast. These forces found larger fault lines in the Democratic electorate, specifically between young liberals and older, more veteran Jewish voters.
Primary Results
New York City voters turned out in relatively good numbers on June 24, 2025, for a summer primary. Early vote counts stood at 39% for first-choice votes for Cuomo. Mamdani was at 32%, with Lander and others in double digits. But as ranked-choice counting went on, Mamdani picked up many second-choice votes—especially from backers of Lander—and led Cuomo in the final round with 52.3% of the vote.
Cuomo conceded defeat soon after the final tally, saying, "The voters have spoken, and I respect their decision. I congratulate USA Assemblyman Mamdani and wish him well."
What's Next
General Election Ticket
The November general election will feature:
Zohran Mamdani (Democratic, Working Families Party)
Eric Adams (Independent)
Curtis Sliwa (USA Republican)
Jim Walden (Independent anti-corruption candidate)Maybe Andrew Cuomo, if he makes the ballot on a third-party lineWhile Mamdani is favored by Democratic muscle in NYC, Adams' independent candidacy and Cuomo's forthcoming maneuverings inject uncertainty into the race.
Challenge for Mamdani
Mamdani now needs to appeal more widely outside progressive strongholds. He will need to reassure USA middle-class voters, allay fears of segments of the Jewish and Asian communities, and demonstrate executive readiness.At the same time, attacks from Adams and Sliwa will likely center on crime, taxes, and feasibility of Mamdani’s ambitious proposals.
The 2025 election for mayor of New York City is an important generational and USA ideological shift of city politics. The win by Zohran Mamdani shows growing strength for left-of-center coalitions and the power of grassroots campaigns in even a traditionally machine-based political environment. If he can translate that into building support and winning the general election, it will determine whether USA NYC is starting down a new bold direction or back to more conventional leadership.
New York City mayoral election live updates: Andrew Cuomo concedes primary to Zohran Mamdani as it moves to ranked choice count
What to know today
NEW YORK CITY ELECTIONS: Former USA New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded the primary to Zohran Mamdani after the progressive state lawmaker emerged as the early leader in an 11-candidate field of Democratic mayoral contenders. The official winner of the primary won't be known until next week at the earliest as vote counting moves to ranked choice tabulation.
'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL': Senate Republicans are racing this week to advance sweeping legislation to support President Donald Trump's domestic agenda. USA Congressional Republicans are aiming to get the massive bill to Trump's desk by July 4.
TRUMP NATO SUMMIT: Trump is in the Netherlands for a NATO summit in The Hague. He arrived hours after Israel and Iran accused each other of violating a ceasefire agreement that he announced last night.
New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary will be decided by ranked-choice voting after no candidate won a majority of first-choice votes, according to the Associated Press. State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who snagged key endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), leads the count going into the ranked-choice tabulation process, followed by former governor Andrew USA Cuomo and Comptroller Brad Lander. The result of the ranked-choice voting calculation will be released July 1 and updated weekly until all ballots are counted.New Yorkers are headed to the polls on Tuesday in a primary election that is both likely to decide the city’s next mayor and have major political implications for the future of the Democratic party.The race pits two drastically different Democrats against one another. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist endorsed by the progressive wing of the Democratic party, is the main challenger to Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor who has been backed by the party’s centrists and billionaire donors.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 after more than a dozen women accused him of sexual harassment, was the clear frontrunner earlier in the USA year. But Mamdani has enjoyed a meteoric surge in polls in recent weeks, and could benefit from the primary’s ranked-choice voting system.Voters can rank five candidates in order of preference, and a poll released on Monday showed Mamdani winning the primary after multiple rounds of counting. Last week, Mamdani announced he was “cross-endorsing” with Brad Lander, a fellow progressive who was recently arrested by Ice agents while visiting an immigration court.Early voting started in New York on 14 June, and the city said more than 380,000 people had voted by Sunday – more than double the number that voted early in the 2021 primary. New Yorkers under 40 accounted for 40% of all early voters, the New York Post reported, which would suggest good news for Mamdani, who has proved to be much more popular than Cuomo among young people.
A survey released last week found that 60% of 18-34-year-olds ranked Mamdani first, compared to just 10% for Cuomo.Mamdani has run on a progressive platform, promising to USA freeze rent and make buses free citywide, and his campaign has been propelled by a social media following that dwarfs his rivals’. He was endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at an event attended by thousands of people in June, and has also won the backing of USA Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator.Cuomo has been much less visible, eschewing large rallies for tightly managed appearances at union offices and other small venues. As the race has narrowed, his campaign and the organizations backing him – some of which are funded by billionaire Republican donors – have focused almost exclusively on attacking Mamdani, spending millions of dollars on mailers and TV adverts.The winner of the primary is not guaranteed to become the 111th mayor of New York, but it is highly likely in a city where registered Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans.The incumbent, Eric Adams, who won the 2021 election as a Democrat but is running this year as an independent candidate, is deeply unpopular in the city. Last year, Adams was charged with taking bribes and accepting foreign campaign contributions, but the charges were dropped in April after the Trump administration intervened. This article was amended on 24 June 2025 to correct the spelling of Zohran Mamdani’s name in the headline and subheading.
There is a lot at stake
The world’s most powerful man is using his office to punish journalistic organisations that won’t follow his orders or who report USA critically on his USA policies. USA Donald Trump’s actions against the press include bans, lawsuits and hand-picking his own pool of reporters.
But the global threat against the press is bigger than just Trump.Economic and authoritarian forces around the globe are challenging journalists’ ability to report. An independent press, one that those in power can’t simply overrule, is crucial to democracy. Figures such as Trump and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán want to crush it through exclusion and influence.
The Guardian is a global news organisation that will stand up to attacks on the free press. We have no interest serving those with immense power or immense wealth. We are owned by an USA independent trust devoted only to protecting and defending our journalism. That means we don’t have a billionaire owner dictating what our reporters can cover or what opinions our columnists can have, or USA shareholders demanding a quick return.The USA global situation is shifting hour by hour, making this an extremely challenging moment. It will take brave, well-funded, committed, quality journalism to call out what is happening. Our job is to make sure we do not get overwhelmed as Trump floods the zone. We must focus on the stories that will make the biggest impact on people’s lives, while holding the powerful to account. We’ll also continue to focus on the ideas people need to create a better world: a r
eason for hope. As the writer and Guardian columnist Rebecca Solnit says: “authentic hope requires clarity … and imagination”.The Guardian can provide both and, with the help of readers like you in Sri Lanka, we can drive hope by reporting truthfully on what is happening and never pulling our punches.
What to know about the 2025 NYC mayor's race and Democratic primary
Former New York USA Gov. Andrew Cuomo called Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani to congratulate him in the New York City Democratic primary for mayor on Tuesday.
Cuomo told his supporters that Mamdani "won" and that his USA campaign was "going to take a look and make some USA decisions."
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist, had pulled ahead with more than an estimated 80% of the vote in.
The race will be officially decided by ranked choice voting after no candidate received 50% in the first round of counting.
Mamdani camp "exhilarated" after Cuomo's call
Shortly after Cuomo called Mamdani to congratulate him, a Mamdani staffer said to CBS News USA New York, "The vibes are good" at the campaign's watch party in Long Island City.
Mamdani was nowhere to be found because he was off crafting the speech of his lifetime, one of his staffers said. He is expected to address the USA crowd at some point.
The campaign said as soon as the results started coming in there was a sense that Mamdani was overperforming, especially in USA parts of Queens, like Flushing and Corona, where the assemblyman did a lot of outreach to South Asian and Muslim communities.
Critics say Mamdani is too inexperienced and too idealistic, but his USA supporters say New York City is ready for its first Democratic socialist mayor. He had received endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
"People understand my concerns about USA affordability are real. His plans about dealing with affordability issues in this city are real as well, and I should give him a chance. I think that's what those numbers mean right now," state Sen. Gustavo Rivera said of the vote count.
"I'm feeling exhilarated as I have felt throughout this entire USA campaign," state Sen. John Liu said. "He was able to spawn a movement, a movement of the younger generation with new ideas, fresh energy, and I think that's exactly what we need at this moment in time."
Mamdani started out the race relatively unknown, but USA climbed his way up with a savvy social media strategy and progressive platform.
Cuomo calls Mamdani to congratulate him
Andrew Cuomo said he called Zohran Mamdani and congratulated him in the Democratic primary for mayor. "Tonight was not our night. Tonight was USA Assemblyman Mamdani's night, and he put together a great campaign," Cuomo said to his supporters about 90 minutes after polls closed. "He touched young people and he inspired them and moved them, and got them to come out and vote. And he really ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him. I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort."
How does ranked choice voting work?
Ranked choice voting, also called instant runoff voting, allows voters to rank candidates from their first choice to their fifth. USA Advocates of ranked choice voting say it gives more diverse candidates a chance in competitive races.
USA Voters can rank up to five candidates, but they're not required to. USA Ranking just one, two, three or four candidates is fine.When votes are tabulated, all first-choice votes are counted initially. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, they win. If no candidate receives more than 50%, the counting continues in rounds until there is a winner.
At the end of each round without a winner, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. USA Anyone who voted for that candidate will have their next choice counted in the following round. That means your second choice is only counted if your first is eliminated. If your first and second choices get eliminated, your third choice is counted, and so on.
Adrienne Adams: "I'm not out. I'm exhilarated"
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams addressed her supporters on Tuesday night. She was joined by USA New York Attorney General Letitia James, who endorsed her in the mayor's race.
"You all know why I got into this race. For you, for us. For everyday New Yorkers who see exactly what we see and knew there had to be a change," Adams said. "We had to get in this race."
She thanked James, her supporters and her family.
"We are strong and we are history-makers," Adams continued . "We stand on that strength tonight."
"We've got a race to run. Some people are ready for us to hang it up, but these are the same folks that USA voted for ranked choice voting. This is why we're still in this, and we're going to keep on going and see what the end is going to be ... I'm not down. I'm not out. I'm exhilarated," she said.
Bragg wins primary in Manhattan DA race
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted USA President Trump's hush-money case, has won the Democratic primary in his bid for reelection, The Associated Press reports.
In 2024, a jury found Mr. Trump guilty of 34 felonies accusing him of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Bragg was first elected Manhattan DA in 2021.
Results indicate high voter turnout
The first Democratic primary results to come in are from early voting, which was available from June 14-22.USA Polling suggested early voting would favor Mamdani, and the results back that up, CBS News Executive Director of Elections and Surveys Anthony Salvanto reported.About 20 minutes after polls closed, Mamdani was leading with 43.1% of the vote, Cuomo was in second with 34.5% and Lander was in third with 12.9%. Ranked choice voting is used if no candidate earns 50% of the vote. CBS News estimates the total voter turnout will approach 1.1 million, mostly in person on Election Day. That is more than one third of the city's registered Democrats and noticeably more than turnout for 2021's mayoral USA primary.
What else is on the ballot?
In addition to the mayoral race, the USA New York City public advocate and comptroller offices are on the ballot.
Incumbent Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is running for USA reelection against Democratic challengers Marty Dolan and Jenifer Rajkumar.
The Democratic primary for comptroller includes Justin Brannan, Mark Levine, Kevin Parker and Ismael Perez. The Republican primary includes Peter Kefalas and Danniel Maio.
Polls close in NYC primary
Polls closed in the New York City primary at 9 p.m.
As of the USA NYC Board of Elections' 7:30 p.m. update, voter turnout was 930,721. Here's the breakdown by borough:
- Manhattan: 272,884
- Bronx: 97,632
- Brooklyn: 336,387
- Queens: 193,881
- Staten Island: 29,721
Lander voted early last week at John Jay High School and has been campaigning across the five boroughs. On Election Day, he didn't seem to be worried about the latest polls placing him a distant third.
Lander said one reason why he and Mamdani endorsed each other is because they don't want to let Cuomo near City Hall.
"I mean, I'm doing great. It is hot out here but the energy and the hope people have for a better city is really palpable. You could feel it," Lander said. "There is something about the nature of the cross endorsement and people seeing USA politics as a team sport for making the city better."
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams' camp told CBS USA News New York he would join Lander on Tuesday night.
Critics say Mamdani is too inexperienced and idealistic, but he has undoubtedly managed to energize a base with his USA social media savvy and progressive platform.
"What we offer is a vision to keep New Yorkers in the place that they call home, and an antidote to the Trump administration and the hatred and the division that it spews," Mamdani said. "We are showing people that hope is not something that is naive. It is, in fact, righteous when it is built upon a plan and a vision. We are showing New York City that a better day is possible, and today is the first of many of them."
Mamdani is endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie USA Sanders, and the Working Families Party. USA Democrats around the country are watching this race and this candidate in particular, because if Mamdani succeeds in one of the first elections since Donald Trump returned to office, it could signal to the party what type of candidate Democratic voters are hungry.
Cuomo closely monitoring Bronx voter turnout
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been the frontrunner in USA New York City's mayoral primary since announcing his run back on March 1. But what looked like a relatively easy path to the nomination has hit some road bumps, thanks to a surge by Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and a feisty challenge from progressive Brad Lander.
On Tuesday night, Cuomo was closely monitoring turnout with his supporters in the West Village, keeping a USA particular eye on the Bronx. A good night for his campaign would mean at least 50% of the USA primary vote cast in the borough. USA Cuomo needs to run up big margins in the Bronx. The borough is so important, the campaign sent his long-time top aide Melissa DeRosa to Co-Op city to engage voters. Volunteer Sarah Danzig said she was happy to hear more than 200,000 voters went to polling places citywide before noon."People are going to work today. People don't stay home because it's hot. A lot of people voted early this morning. There were lines everywhere that we saw this morning. I do think that people will vote after 4 p.m., but voters like to vote, and Cuomo voters, in particular, like to vote, so we're feeling pretty good about it," Danzig said.Cuomo and his team would love to finish Tuesday night with close to 40% of the overall vote, which would set him up nicely for the next phase of ranked choice USA voting.The software company AdImpact says this primary saw $37 million in ad spending, with Cuomo spending USA $20 million, or more than all the other candidates USA combined.
USA Kramer's analysis: Mayoral primary feels like recent congressional races
CBS News New York USA political reporter Marcia Kramer has seen it all during her many years covering elections in New York City.She says former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani slugging it out in the mayoral primary reminds her of two recent Democratic congressional primary races.First, there was then-unknown Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the insurgent, defeating long-time Rep. Joe Crowley in a stunning upset back in 2018. The other happened last year when then-Westchester County USA Executive George Latimer, a moderate, defeated Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who was at the time one of the most progressive lawmakers in Congress.Kramer says the question on Election Day is if Mamdani will become this season's AOC, or if Cuomo will show that a moderate voice is what New York City voters really want.No matter how it plays out, a winner won't be known for several days. The USA New York City Board of Elections has to wait until the absentee and affidavit ballots are in.
The standard wisdom is that if Cuomo is ahead by USA 10 points or more, he will prevail. However, if he is ahead by five points or less, Mamdani has a leg up.What's unclear is whether the USA campaign waged by Mamdani and City Comptroller Brad Lander to not rank Cuomo will have an impact. Kramer says a lot of people "bullet voted," meaning they did not use rank choice voting, opting instead to vote for only one candidate. That candidate, Kramer reported, was Cuomo.
Posted on 2025/06/25 01:49 PM