NYC Chooses Its Future In Election With National Impact

After a 12 months of campaigning, speeches, emails, snail mail, punditry, media protection, and head-scratching, the 5 Boroughs are as soon as once more being requested to step as much as the poll field to determine who will lead its 8 million residents for the remainder of the last decade, what guidelines they may stay by, and the general path the town will take.

Essentially the most talked-about mayoral marketing campaign of the final era is sort of over, and its impression crosses not solely political strains but in addition racial and sophistication divisions. Whereas the 2021 race primarily targeted on public security in a metropolis making an attempt to get better from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2025 race is all about affordability in a metropolis the place many can not afford the lease and the place a scarcity of housing is squeezing households out.

Though elections are going down nationwide, all the nation is watching what occurs in New York Metropolis as a result of a lot is centered right here economically, politically, and culturally, and because the largest metropolis, it anchors America. This implies it’s being watched by different municipalities, and by a White Home that has made clear the way it desires the mayoral election to end up.

However there are additionally races for Public Advocate, Comptroller, the presidencies of every of New York Metropolis’s boroughs, and quite a few necessary metropolis council campaigns in essential districts. AmNews is looking at these on this information that can assist our readers perceive the races and make the very best selections.

Mayor: Three main candidates are on the poll, however there are different candidates whose names haven’t been within the information as a lot, and there are extra operating as write-ins. Mayor Eric Adams suspended his marketing campaign on Sept. 28, leaving the three most well-known to compete.

Zohran Ok. Mamdani

Democratic

The 34-year-old state assemblyman who represents Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights stunned folks in New York Metropolis and throughout the nation when he received the Democratic nomination within the metropolis’s major earlier this 12 months. His message of affordability — free bus fares, and opening city-run grocery shops resonated with a lot of the voting inhabitants, particularly youthful voters. However others, together with President Trump, had been alarmed at Mamdani’s socialist strategy, to not point out the thinly-veiled bigotry towards him for being a foreign-born Muslim.

Since his major win, Mamdani has led within the polls and gained help from a number of endorsers, together with Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander (who can be a part of his marketing campaign), in addition to others outdoors New York like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. A number of unions, together with 1199 SEIU, the Communications Employees of America, and the United Federation of Lecturers, additionally help him.

Andrew M. Cuomo

Impartial

Previous to the June major, Cuomo, 67, was anticipated to carry out effectively if not win within the crowded discipline of Democrats operating. Only a few years in the past, he was widespread, regionally and nationally, for steering the state as governor by means of the pandemic. He loved nice approval rankings, however solely up to a degree. Allegations of sexual harassment, which he has constantly denied, and mismanagement of the unfold of coronavirus in state nursing houses started to comply with him till he was pressured to resign in August 2021.

However in 2025, he emerged as a powerful candidate with a platform of tax incentives to advertise the constructing of inexpensive housing, inserting the MTA below metropolis management (it has been a state company since its founding in 1968), and his 5-Borough Financial Transformation Capital Fund, a proposed $1.5 billion initiative geared toward spurring job development throughout the town. Apparently, nevertheless, that hasn’t been sufficient to alter the minds of probably voters thus far. Polls proceed to point out him trailing Mamdani by double digits.

Curtis A. Sliwa

Republican

In his second run for mayor, the Guardian Angels founder, former radio host, and activist, has been vocal about his capacity to run the town higher than the opposite candidates. Nevertheless it has not been sufficient to persuade a largely Democratic-leaning voter inhabitants to help him. Not like the bitter 2021 Republican major battle wherein he defeated businessman Fernando Mateo, he ran unopposed in 2025 for the nomination.

Sliwa, 71, has additionally confronted repeated calls by Mamdani’s critics to drop out so the race may very well be extra targeted on defeating him, to which he has responded negatively. As a substitute, he has touted his personal platform, which incorporates encouraging investments within the 4 boroughs outdoors Manhattan, hiring 7,000 cops, and eliminating the “Metropolis of Sure” zoning regulation handed in 2024, and as a substitute giving management again to residents. Nonetheless, with not a lot time left, Sliwa has a number of floor to cowl in comparison with the opposite two main candidates.

Joseph Hernandez

High quality of Life

The entrepreneur and founding father of Blue Water Enterprise Companions says he desires to hurry up inexpensive housing and supply greater than 100,000 new housing models, rent 10,000 extra cops, and use AI to make metropolis operations extra environment friendly.

Irene Estrada

Conservative

Referred to as a group activist, Estrada has been a lifelong Democrat, having beforehand run for Metropolis Council and state meeting. She determined to run on the Conservative Occasion ticket, saying that Democrats had gone too far left on public issues of safety. She is for repealing bail reform, and can be in opposition to the “Metropolis of Sure” regulation, however desires to advocate for tenants’ rights.

Public Advocate

Jumaane Williams (I)

Democratic

Within the June major, Williams took greater than 71 % of the vote to reclaim one other time period in workplace. The previous metropolis councilman from Flatbush, Brooklyn, bested challengers equivalent to state assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar and monetary adviser Marty Dolan. He has stood steadfast in opposition to the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk coverage, efficiently handed laws to guard workers from employers retaliation, and a Individuals With out Houses Invoice of Rights, amongst different laws.

Gonzalo Duran 

Republican

Duran has been a critic of Mamdani’s all through his marketing campaign and is in search of to attach Republicans and conservatives in New York Metropolis. He’s in search of higher laws for builders constructing housing, giving tax breaks to native companies moderately than firms, and addressing “meals deserts” by making it tougher for quick meals firms and simpler for supermarkets to open up.

Martin W. Dolan

Unity

Like many Republicans, Dolan advocates no revenue tax on residents till age 26, restoring afterschool applications, and a plan for homeownership for households in NYCHA housing, together with higher oversight of 20% of New York Metropolis’s price range outsourced to impartial contractors. He additionally desires to get rid of the purple tape that makes it tougher to acquire permits.

Manhattan District Lawyer

Manhattan District Lawyer

Alvin Bragg (I)

Democratic

Though he’s finest recognized nationally for his prosecution of Donald Trump and profitable a conviction within the Stormy Daniels case, Bragg has boasted successes equivalent to a discount in gun violence and different crimes, creating drug abuse and youth applications that encourage jobs and group service. However a continued emphasis on eliminating gun violence by means of measures like violence intervention stays a centerpiece of his platform

Maud Maron

Republican

The previous Authorized Assist Society Public Defender desires to crack down on recidivist offenders and finish “revolving door” crime. She additionally desires to prosecute all crimes, together with fare evasion and shoplifting, which is in opposition to Bragg’s “Day One Memo” which steps away from pursuing prosecution for low-level offenses. However like Mamdani, she additionally advocates for Psychological Well being and Public Security Models.

Diana Florence

Safer Manhattan

A former Manhattan Assistant D.A., and lifelong Democrat now operating on a distinct ticket,  Florence says that Bragg is hiding actual crime numbers and says repeat offenders are being let out to commit extra crime. She additionally stands in opposition to the “Day One Memo” and says he’s not doing sufficient to hunt jail time for harmful offenders. She says “blanket insurance policies” on crime don’t work and has pledged to finish them.

Brooklyn District Lawyer

Eric Gonzalez  (I)

Democrat, Working Households

Gonzales is operating unopposed within the 2025 Brooklyn D.A. race.

Borough President

Manhattan

Seson Adams

Republican

Rolando Gomez

The Unity

Brooklyn

Janine Acquafredda

Republican, Conservative

Queens

Henry Ikezi

Republican, United Alliance

Bronx

Vanessa L. Gibson  (I)

Democratic, Working Households

Grace Marrero

Republican, Conservative

Staten Island

Michael Thomas Colombo

Democratic

Vito J Fossella (I)

Republican

Choose Metropolis Council Races

District 7

District 8

District 10

District 12

District 16

District 35

District 41

District 42

District 45

District 46

District 49

Poll Proposals

Poll Proposal 1: An modification to the state structure’s Ceaselessly Wild clause to permit for growth on upstate forest protect land to increase the Lake Placid Olympic Sports activities Advanced, a 1,039-acre ski park on the base of Mount Van Hoevenberg in Essex County. About 2,500 acres of recent forest land shall be added to offset the misplaced land.

Poll Proposal 2: Would change the town’s processes to “fast-track sure inexpensive housing tasks” and velocity up purposes in 12 group districts that produce the least quantity of inexpensive housing. It might maintain the group board overview and native borough president (BP) a part of the Uniform Land Use Assessment Process (ULURP). 

Poll Proposal 3: Would simplify the overview technique of “modest quantities” or “minor” infrastructure tasks and local weather resiliency tasks by means of an Expedited Land Use Assessment Process (ELURP). The method can be shortened to about 90 days.

Poll Proposal 4: This proposal establishes an Reasonably priced Housing Appeals Board with the council speaker, native Borough President, and mayor. It might permit the three-member board to reverse the Metropolis Council’s selections on inexpensive housing tasks with a vote.

Poll Proposal 5: Would digitize paper maps and create a borough map workplace on the Division of Metropolis Planning (DCP) by January 1, 2028.Poll Proposal 6: A state constitutional modification and a citywide referendum that strikes the town’s major and basic election dates to even-numbered years to match up with federal presidential elections on the poll.

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