New York City’s crowded Democratic primary for mayor is coming to a close on June 24 with two candidates leading the race for the coveted nomination.
Nearly a dozen candidates are on the ballot in the city’s ranked choice voting system that allows primary voters to rank up to five candidates. Polling shows former Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the frontrunner narrowly leading state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani.
While voters' first choices for mayor are expected June 24, no one candidate is likely to garner more than 50% of votes, which is needed to be declared winner on the first round. That’s where the ranked choice voting system kicks in, eliminating candidates with the fewest votes over several rounds, until there are just two candidates left. That process is expected to take until July 1.
In the heavily Democratic city, the candidate who wins the primary gains a considerable advantage in the November general election. But Mayor Eric Adams is running for re-election as an independent and both Cuomo and Mamdani have the option of running on a minor-party line if they lose the Democratic primary. There is also a Republican candidate for mayor, anti-crime activist Curis Sliwa.
Here’s what to know about New York City’s Democratic primary.
