Zahran Mamdani Leads Tight Race in New York Mayor Election as Early Voting Begins
The progressive Muslim candidate faces off against former governor Andrew Cuomo amid Islamophobia controversy and shifting voter dynamics.
Early voting began today in New York City’s upcoming mayoral election, where the race is heating up between Democratic Party candidate Zahran Mamdani and independent contender Andrew Cuomo.
The week-long voting period precedes Election Day on November 4, and election officials have reported unprecedented voter turnout compared to previous years.
In recent days, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has faced widespread backlash for Islamophobic remarks he made while attacking Mamdani, who currently leads him in the polls.
“The Islamophobia and personal attacks against me are the desperate tactics of men who fear change,” said Zahran Mamdani in response to the comments during a press conference. “My belief in freedom and justice extends to everyone — including the Palestinians,” he added, responding to a question from Al Jazeera.
Recent polls show Mamdani as the frontrunner. If he wins, he would become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and the youngest in over a century.
Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, faces Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. The current mayor, Eric Adams, withdrew from the race and endorsed Cuomo.
Narrowing the Gap:
According to The Hill, Cuomo has managed to cut Mamdani’s lead in half, based on a poll published eight days before Election Day.
A Suffolk University poll conducted over the past four days shows Mamdani leading Cuomo 44% to 34%, while Sliwa trails with 11%.
In a similar Suffolk poll last month, Mamdani led Cuomo by 20 points (45% to 25%), followed by Sliwa with 9% and Mayor Adams — then still running as an independent — with 8%.
Currently, 7% of voters remain undecided, down from 9% last month. Since then, Adams suspended his campaign and endorsed Cuomo.
While 2% of voters initially planned to vote for Adams — whose name remains on the ballot — fewer than one-fourth still intend to do so after learning he dropped out.
Among Sliwa’s supporters, Cuomo enjoys stronger second-choice support: 36% would pick Cuomo, compared to just 2% for Mamdani.
“Curtis Sliwa’s voters could significantly impact the outcome,” said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University’s Political Research Center. “Their 11% share could be what stops Cuomo from winning,” he explained.
Shifting Voter Trends:
Cuomo’s gains over the past month have been most pronounced among Hispanic and independent voters.
He now leads Mamdani by one point among Hispanic voters, a dramatic shift from being 30 points behind last month.
Among independent voters, Cuomo now leads by 10 points, after previously trailing Mamdani by 18 points.
The Suffolk poll surveyed 500 likely New York City voters between October 23 and 26, with a margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points.
