Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state assembly member Zohran Mamdani emerged as the frontrunners in New York City's mayoral primary. (AP;Reuters)
Mamdani cross-endorsed with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in an attempt to consolidate support against Cuomo within the ranked-choice voting style. Mamdani and Lander campaigned together in the weeks leading up to primary day.
'GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA' PHRASE STIRS TENSIONS ON NYC CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT RAGES
Lander dominated national headlines last week after he was arrested in Manhattan by Department of Homeland Security agents. He was detained for allegedly assaulting a federal officer as he tried to escort a defendant out of an immigration court.
New York City uses ranked-choice voting, which means voters can rank up to five candidates on their ballot in order of preference. It was first used in the mayoral primary in 2021.
If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins, according to the New York City Board of Elections. But if none of the candidates pick up more than 50% of first-choice voices, then voting moves to rounds.
At the end of each round, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated. Votes for the candidate who was eliminated are then redistributed to the voters' next-highest ranked choices.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was considered the front-runner in New York City's mayoral election long before he declared his candidacy. (David 'Dee' Delgado/Reuters)
Cuomo's campaign has criticized Mamdani as a "dangerously inexperienced legislator" while touting that the former governor "managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump."
Mamdani, who among other things wants to eliminate fares to ride New York City's vast bus system and make City University of New York "tuition-free," earned a third-quarter boost from Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders.
On Election Day, New York City celebrities, including "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon and model Emily Ratajkowski, urged their followers to vote for Mamdani. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio even chimed in to say "#DontRankCuomo."
New York City election officials said that more than 384,000 Democrats cast ballots in early voting, which ended on Sunday.
Among the crowded field of Democratic candidates that appeared on Tuesday's ballot are former Comptroller Scott Stringer, educator Selma Bartholomew, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, investor and editor at Stansberry Research Whitney Tilson, former State Assembly Member Michael Blake and content creator and music artist Paperboy Prince.
Zohran Mamdani speaks at an emergency rally held by the Working Families Party to criticize the Trump administration at Foley Square in New York, New York, May 10, 2025. (/Bing Guan/Reuters)
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a moderate Democrat elected in 2021, is running for re-election as an independent. Adams earlier this year dropped his Democratic primary bid as his approval ratings sank to historic lows.
Adams' poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged "long-running" scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials.
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The mayor made repeated overtures to President Donald Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, as Adams has coordinated with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown.
Former federal prosecutor Jim Walden is also running as an Independent, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa will once again be the Republican nominee.
Fox News' Jess Loker contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nyc-polls-closed-race-far-from-over-due-ranked-choice-voting