As of 10:30 p.m. on June 24, the New York City Board of Elections website displayed the preliminary results of the early voting and same-day ranked-choice voting round for the mayoral race. At present, Zohran Mamdani is leading with 43.5% of the votes, while former governor Andrew Cuomo secured 36.3% of the votes. Cuomo conceded defeat around 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
“It’s not our night tonight,” said the 67-year-old former governor in a speech last night. “It’s his night. He deserves it. He won.”
Mamdani has adopted a typical socialist platform, aiming to lower the cost of living for New Yorkers by implementing measures such as rent freezes, free public transportation and childcare, as well as establishing city-owned grocery stores. His proposals have garnered support from young people and a wide range of grassroots supporters.
But how will these lofty ideals be achieved? Mamdani vows to “tax the rich to help the poor” – imposing taxes on wealthy individuals and large corporations.
As for how this method can be implemented, the Chicago Tribune issued a warning to New Yorkers on June 23. They pointed out that they had just elected a progressive Democrat mayor, Brandon Johnson, in 2023 who was almost identical to Mamdani. However, “his support plummeted in the second year.”
“This reflects how the promises of progressives quickly crumble under the pressures of governance and fiscal realities,” the editorial board wrote. “Due to financial missteps and lack of political experience, what seemed like a beautiful thing in theory ended up dysfunctional.”
In conclusion, Chicagoans said, “Trust us – we are experiencing this reality.”
In fact, many media outlets and businesses in New York have also issued warnings: If Mamdani is elected, it will have “disastrous” consequences.
Compared to Mamdani, former New York Governor Cuomo is known for his experienced governance, pro-business stance, and somewhat more moderate position. Additionally, Cuomo has the backing of the vast majority of unions in New York City and endorsements from Democratic heavyweights, including former President Clinton.
The results on June 24 are not the final conclusion. According to the Board of Elections, the final results will not be announced until July 1 to determine who the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City will be. It will also require waiting for all mail-in and absentee ballots to be fully counted before the results can be declared.
Cuomo had previously stated that if he lost in the primary, he would run as an independent in the November general election. This year’s mayoral election will break the tradition of the Democratic candidate in June being the winner of the general election in November. November 6 this year will likely see a battle involving at least four individuals, including Mamdani, Cuomo, the incumbent mayor Eric Adams seeking re-election, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the “Guardian Angels”.