NYC Mayoral Primary Heads to Ranked Choice Count After No Democrat Wins Majority Vote

New York City Democrats will decide whether to reboot Andrew Cuomo's political career, elevate liberal Zohran Mamdani, or turn to a crowded field of lesser-known candidates for New York mayor. State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani held a tentative lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the rest of the crowded field in New York City’s mayoral primary, but the race’s outcome will be decided by a ranked choice count after neither Democrat got a clear majority in Tuesday’s vote.

Mamdani was several points shy of the 50% threshold needed to win outright and wasn’t winning any updates by enough of a margin to close that gap. At the same time, Cuomo was also not gaining ground on Mamdani as counting continued.

It isn’t clear whether that lead will hold. The primary now enters the ranked choice phase, in which candidates with the least support are eliminated and votes cast for them are redistributed based on voter preference. That process won’t begin until July 1.

Mamdani is a 33-year-old democratic socialist who would be the city’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected. Cuomo is trying to make a comeback from a sexual harassment scandal. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams skipped the primary. He’s running as an independent.

The race's ultimate outcome could say something about what kind of leader Democrats are looking for during President Donald Trump's second term.

“To Mr. Cuomo, I have never had to resign in disgrace,” Mamdani said.

The candidates made a final push out in the city earlier in the day, sweating it out with voters on a sizzling summer day in which temperatures reached the triple digits. While initial returns were being released after the polls closed at 9 p.m. Tuesday, a winner might not emerge for a week because of the city's ranked choice voting system, which allows voters to list up to five candidates in order of preference.

Mamdani has been hard not to notice. His army of young canvassers relentlessly knocked on doors throughout the city seeking support. Posters of his grinning mug were up on shop windows. You couldn't get on social media without seeing one of his well-produced videos pitching his vision — free buses, free child care, new apartments, a higher minimum wage and more, paid for by new taxes on rich people.

Amani Kojo, a 23-year-old first-time voter, passed out iced tea to Mamdani canvassers, encouraging them to stay hydrated. “It’s 100 degrees outside and it's a vibe. New York City feels alive again,” Kojo said, raising a pile of Mamdani pamphlets. “It feels very electric seeing all the people around, the flyers, all the posts on my Instagram all day.”

Mamdani has slammed Cuomo over his sexual harassment scandal and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

“To Mr. Cuomo, I have never had to resign in disgrace,” he said.

Cuomo resigned in 2021 after a report commissioned by the state attorney general concluded that he had sexually harassed at least 11 women. He has always maintained that he didn't intentionally harass the women, saying he had simply fallen behind what was considered appropriate workplace conduct.