New York City elects a mayor ever four years, and its a show every time. This year, however, the drama has escalated. On November 4th, all the candidates will face off in the general election. If no one gets 50% of the vote, NYC uses ranked-choice voting to decide the winner.
So who is running?
- Zohran Mamdani – A 33-year-old progressive Democrat. He’s seen as fresh and bold, but critics say his left-wing policies could be “too radical” for NYC.
- Andrew Cuomo – Former New York governor, now running as an independent after losing the primary. He is currently under a fundraising investigation that is hurting his campaign.
- Eric Adams- The current mayor of NYC, also running as an independent.
- Curtis Sliwa – The Republican candidate (he also ran in 2021).
- Jim Walden – An independent with less support, but still in the race.
Mamdani, who is is leading in most polls and has energized, younger, progressive voters, was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1991 to Indian parents. His mother, Mira Nair, is an accomplished filmmaker and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a well known academic. Mamdani briefly lived in Cape Town, South Africa, before moving to New York City at the age of 7 where his father took a teaching job at Columbia University. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with a degree in Africana Studies. In college, he co-founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Post-grad, Mamdani worked helping low-income families fight eviction in Queens, a job that kickstarted his political ambitions. In 2020, he was elected to the New York State Assembly.
He is a practicing Shia Muslim, was naturalized as a U.S citizen in 2018 (still holding dual citizenship with Uganda), and married artist Rama Duwaji in early 2025 after meeting her on Hinge.
In addition to his political pursuits, Mamdani released a rap single in 2019 under the name “Mr. Cardamom,” a nod to his creative side. He often says that growing up in a diverse home shaped his passions for justice and equality.
This race is no peaceful competition, though as each candidate has their own drama and controversies that are coming with them to the polls. For current mayor Eric Adams, criminal charges may be ahead. Adams has been indicted for illegal fundraising, including from foreign sources, to fraudulently collect over $10 million in public matching funds during his 2021 campaign. Furthermore, a draft audit flagged $2.3 million in improperly documented campaign spending.
Andrew Cuomo, former New York governor), comes with baggage as well. He previously resigned as governor amid sexual harassment findings, was accused of hiding nursing home COVID deaths, used ChatGPT to write a housing plan, allegedly withheld vaccine distribution to Citi Field, and more.
Mamdani, the progressive front-runner of the race, is also not without controversy himself.
He publicly challenged President Donald Trump to a debate, accusing him of meddling in the race. Trump allegedly wants opponents to drop out to clear the way for Cuomo. Mamdani also infamously skips “unofficial debates” and lacks real party endorsement. Finally, he is known by critics to be “too radical.” Lastly, the heavily Jewish population of New York, said to be the largest number of Jewish Americans in any one U.S. city, is skeptical of his support for Palestine, believing he is anti-Semitic.
The real question is, why is Mamdani so heavily endorsed by one demographic, but “too radical” for another? Well, to understand that voters need to know about Mamdani’s values. His bold platform is aimed at improving affordability and promoting fairness. His plans are as follows:
-Freeze rent on rent-stabilized apartments
-Build 200,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years
-Free rides on buses citywide
-Raise the minimum wage to $30 by 2030
-Free childcare for all kids up to age 5
-City-run grocery stores in all five boroughs to cut food costs.
-Shift money away from police to a new “Community Safety” department with mental health responders.
-Tax the rich and big corporations more.
-Support LGBTQ+ rights, including $65 million for gender-affirming care and declaring NYC a sanctuary city
Many support these big goals. Free subways/buses means more mobility for poor and working-class residents, boosts job access, and cuts car use. Redirecting the NYPD’s $11B budget could target the root causes of crime, like poverty, housing instability, and untreated mental illness. Furthermore, wealthy New Yorkers are said to use city resources but often underpay in taxes.
On the other hand, Mamdani faces a lot of backlash for his progressive ideals. Free MTA would cost $8-10 billion a year. Critics say his tax plans can’t cover it without driving the rich out of NYC. Cutting NYPD funds is wildly unpopular with many working-class New Yorkers, especially after crime spikes post-pandemic.
In sum, supporters believe that NYC is a playground for the rich while “regular people” can barely make ends meet. They believe that Mamdani is the only one courageous enough to flip the script.
Opponents say that while his plans may seem good on paper, they’ll bankrupt the city, scare away business, and make NYC unlivable for everyone.
What’s happening as of right now:
Mamdani is leading in most polls and has a big youth backing. Cuomo is trying a comeback, but his tainted reputation is not washing away. Adams is struggling, facing low poll numbers and an ongoing investigation into his fundraising. Sliwa and Walden are far behind, but refuse to quit. Even President Donald Trump has tried to pressure weaker candidates to quit to stop Mamdani, but so far, nobody’s budging.
If you want to stay updated on this political soap opera, there are two key dates coming up. In October 2025, two official televised debates will take place. Finally, on November 4th 2025, the final show down will happen: Election Day. New Yorkers voters through their ranked-choice voting will decide the winner if no one hits 50%. Stay tuned.
