What to expect as voters test Trump’s sway and party power from New York to California

Off-year elections, including Zohran Mamdani’s high-profile New York race, could reshape the political map

Voters in several states are heading to the polls on Tuesday for elections that will provide a crucial window into nationwide support for Donald Trump’s Republican allies, and potentially signal new momentum for the beleaguered Democratic party.

The off-year elections could see Democratic insurgent Zohran Mamdanibecome the next mayor of New York City, while voters in deep-blue California could tear up their congressional maps in favor of a Democratic gerrymander meant to counter gains the GOP is expected to make elsewhere. And Virginia and New Jersey will hold high-stakes gubernatorial and legislative elections that may serve as a proxy for voters’ views on the president.

Here’s more about what to expect on 4 November:

New York City has probably the most high-profile mayor in the country, and in June, Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist, won the Democratic primary in an upset over former governor Andrew Cuomo. Though Cuomo remains in the race as an independent, polls show Mamdani with a formidable lead, and if he wins, his brand of left-wing politics will be given a prominent platform.