On January 1st, Zohran Mamdani, the incoming Mayor of New York City, will be officially sworn in by New York State Attorney General Letitia James in the early hours of New Year’s Day. Later in the afternoon on January 1st, at the public inauguration ceremony, Senator Bernie Sanders will once again preside over the swearing-in, witnessing Mamdani officially becoming the new Mayor of New York City. The mayoral transition team also announced that they will be hosting a large open street party in front of City Hall and along the Broadway Hero Canyon, symbolizing the beginning of a “New Era for New York.”
The New York City mayoral inauguration ceremony is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m. on January 1st on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan. Alongside Mamdani, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and incoming New York City Comptroller Mark Levine will also be sworn in. The organizers stated that the ceremony will feature music, performances, and speeches from the newly elected officials.
According to the schedule, the official swearing-in at midnight will be conducted by Attorney General Letitia James at Mamdani’s residence with family members present, granting Mamdani the official powers of the Mayor. The public inauguration ceremony during the day will be presided over by Senator Bernie Sanders, a longstanding member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), highlighting the continuation and symbolism of his political ideology.
In a statement, Sanders expressed that Mamdani represents a “new generation of progressive leadership,” and his victory not only belongs to the city of New York but also symbolizes the power of the working-class political movement. Letitia James stated that Mamdani’s campaign has united citizens in their common expectations of “making New York affordable for everyone,” and she looks forward to future collaboration.
The transition team stated that in addition to about 4,000 ticketed guests at City Hall, a street party will be set up in the Broadway area from Liberty St to Murray St in lower Manhattan’s Hero Canyon, allowing tens of thousands of citizens to watch the ceremony on large screens and participate in the celebration. The public is required to register in advance on the transition official website, and the event will also provide online streaming for those who register.
The organizers recommended that citizens wishing to attend the street party arrive between 11 a.m. and noon to secure better viewing positions. The general entrance is located at the intersection of Broadway and Liberty St, while an accessible entrance is at Broadway and Barclay St.
For safety reasons, there will be no mobile toilets on-site, and no food will be sold. Items such as strollers, coolers, chairs, blankets, and umbrellas will be prohibited from entry.
Mamdani stated that the inauguration event is named the “Inauguration Ceremony of a New Era,” symbolizing his government’s focus on grassroots citizens and the working class as the core of governance, and inviting citizens to witness the beginning of a new era in politics.
At the age of 34, Mamdani emerged victorious in the mayoral election in November of this year, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams initially sought re-election but withdrew in September and instead supported Cuomo.
According to the latest corrected historical records from the city’s archives department, Mamdani will be the 112th Mayor of New York City. He expressed his anticipation of the responsibilities to lead the city forward, regardless of which mayoral term it may be.