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New York Times
15 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Black Voters Take Center Stage as N.Y.C. Mayor's Race Enters Final Days
It had barely been two months since Adrienne Adams became the last Democrat to join the New York City mayoral primary race when she got a call from a number she did not recognize. It was Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman who had stormed to second place in the polls. He broached the idea of the two cross-endorsing each other. Ms. Adams, 64, the first Black person to lead the City Council, needed the help. She was working furiously to raise enough money to meet the threshold for public matching funds. She, in turn, had something Mr. Mamdani needed: support from the city's critical older Black electorate. It may have seemed like a perfect fit, but Ms. Adams did not see it that way. She and her advisers felt that Mr. Mamdani — a democratic socialist who has made campaign vows to make buses free, open city-owned grocery stores and freeze the rent for some apartment dwellers — was too far to the left and would alienate her base of moderate Democratic voters in southeast Queens. As the Democratic primary for mayor enters its final days, a familiar dispute is playing out between the left and the city's crucial Black electorate. Despite being pressured to cross-endorse Mr. Mamdani, Ms. Adams seems set on doing the opposite, criticizing him during the candidates' second debate. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Despite ranked-choice voting, Adrienne Adams declines to back rivals in NYC mayor's race
NEW YORK — Mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams declined Thursday to say who she voted for, even as her opponents — and chief supporter — have begun to capitalize on the city's ranked-choice voting system in their collective quest to block Andrew Cuomo's return to power. "I voted for me and I voted for my community," the City Council speaker said after leaving her polling station in the Jamaica section of Queens on the sixth day of early voting ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary. Asked who else she ranked on her ballot, Adams replied, "Well, I still believe in the secrecy of the ballot, and I voted for me and my community." She specifically declined to say whether she voted for democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani — the first choice for the Working Families Party, which endorsed Adams as part of a four-person slate intended to oppose Cuomo. The secrecy from Adams stands in contrast to the recent — albeit late — cross endorsements candidates and top surrogates are making to blunt Cuomo's rise. The former governor, a household name, is beating the lesser-known Adams among Black New Yorkers, even though she'd be New York City's first Black female mayor. Mamdani and Brad Lander endorsed one another last week — likely a bigger benefit to Mamdani if he outpaces Lander as is expected, though the city comptroller is having a strong close to his campaign season. Some people on Adams' team were hoping she'd back her rivals. To that end, her aides had prepared a statement asserting her support for the Working Families Party's slate, but internal disagreements blocked it from being released, someone with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO. That person was granted anonymity to freely discuss private campaign strategy. Adams' chief endorser, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, announced support for Lander, Mamdani and Myrie as her second, third and fourth picks Saturday in a rebuke to Cuomo, her political nemesis. New Yorkers can select up to five candidates, in order of preference, when they head to the polls Tuesday in the city's relatively new ranked-choice voting system. Adams entered the race late, with low name recognition and insufficient funds to take on the former governor. A low-profile politician who would be New York City's first female mayor, she was urged into the race by James, who wants to see Cuomo defeated but didn't want to run for the job. A report from James' office four years ago substantiated allegations Cuomo sexually harassed female staffers, leading to his resignation. He denies the claims. Adams is viewed by political insiders as a candidate with a lot of potential for growth, but has yet to meet that expectation in a race dominated by Cuomo and Mamdani, the democratic socialist who routinely polls second. Where Cuomo enjoys popularity in the Council speaker's Queens district of older Black homeowners, Mamdani excites a younger, wealthier and whiter crowd. On the campaign trail, Adams has criticized both candidates, delivering a searing rebuke of Cuomo's Covid policies in a speech about her deceased father and questioning Mamdani's inexperience on the debate stage. She also released a since-deleted social media post that slammed the state lawmaker's vow to abolish ICE. Cuomo has not told his supporters to rank anyone else on their ballots, including state Sen. Jessica Ramos — who broke with the Working Families Party and endorsed him. Defeating Cuomo on his political turf — which overlaps with her own — was always going to be a challenge for the Council speaker, but her broader appeal made her an attractive choice for voters seeking an experienced alternative to Cuomo. She's routinely polling a distant fourth.
Vogue
a day ago
- Politics
- Vogue
Confused About Ranked Choice Voting? Here's Everything You Need to Know Ahead of New York City's Mayoral Primary
The New York City mayoral race was infused with new drama this week when Brad Lander, the city's comptroller since 2022 and a candidate for mayor, was apprehended by ICE agents in a downtown courthouse. Lander—who was attempting to protect a migrant from arrest—is one of a number of mayoral candidates who have spoken out against the Trump administration's sweeping deportations; Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and City Council speaker Adrienne Adams have also pledged to protect immigrants should they be elected mayor. Attendance at anti-ICE protests like last weekend's 'No Kings' rallies proved that standing up for marginalized communities is very much on New Yorkers' minds this year—though some are unsure how best to navigate ranked choice voting, the election system in place during the mayoral primary. Luckily, though, all it takes is a little advance research to make heading to the polls as simple a process as picking up a coffee to go. Below, find everything you need to know about ranked choice voting as it pertains to New York City's upcoming primary, set for Tuesday, June 24: What is ranked choice voting? According to the nonpartisan, nonprofit Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center, ranked choice voting is 'an election method in which voters rank candidates for an office in order of their preference (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on).' Ranked choice voting is also known as instant runoff voting (IRV). When and where did ranked choice voting begin? The first trial runs of ranked choice voting were held in Denmark in the 1850s, after which the process made its way to Australia for legislative elections in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The first American city to use ranked choice voting for a city council election was Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1915, while the history of ranked choice voting in New York stretches back to 1936. That year, New York City adopted the multi-winner form for their city council and school board elections, spurring another 11 cities to adopt ranked choice voting soon after. How does ranked choice voting work? According to the NYC Board of Elections, voters can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. They are not obligated to rank any particular number of candidates, meaning it's possible to rank just one strong favorite. If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins; if no candidate earns more than 50% of first-choice votes, then the counting continues in rounds. What's the advantage of ranked choice voting? As the American electoral system has grown increasingly fractured in recent years, problems like vote splitting (or, in other words, a third-party or minor candidate pulling votes from a major candidate on the same side of the political spectrum) have become more common. With ranked choice voting, voters 'know that if their first choice doesn't win, their vote automatically counts for their next choice instead,' the nonpartisan organization FairVote explains, which 'frees [them] from worrying about how others will vote and which candidates are more or less likely to win.' If I really hate a candidate, should I rank them fifth or not rank them at all? It's best to simply not rank a candidate you detest at all, given that they could end up winning your vote if your top four candidates are counted out of the race.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
NYC Mayoral Polls 2025: Eric Adams seeks re-election as early voting begins— See full list of contenders
Brad Lander, Adrienne Adams, Michael Blake The New York City mayoral election will be held on November 4, 2025. As early voting began on Saturday, 12 candidates from across the political spectrum are bracing for the fight. Here's a quick look at each of them: Eric Adams (Independent) Adams is the current mayor seeking re-election as an independent after leaving the Democratic Party. Zohran Mamdani (Democrat) Born in Uganda, Mamdani, 33, is a state lawmaker since 2020. He faces criticism for his views on Israel and supports leftist policies like city-owned grocery stores and free buses. Brad Lander (Democrat) City Comptroller since 2022, Lander, 55, is backed by progressive groups like the Working Families Party but has struggled to appeal to both sides on the Israel-Palestine issue. Adrienne Adams (Democrat) City Council Speaker, Adrienne Adams, 64, entered the race late. A progressive Democrat from South Jamaica, Queens, she is the first Black person elected as City Council Speaker. Scott Stringer (Democrat) Stringer, 65, served two terms as the city comptroller until 2021. Zellnor Myrie (Democrat) Brooklyn State Senator Myrie, 38, has run a relatively low-key campaign. Jessica Ramos (Democrat) Queens State Senator Ramos, 39, is pro-labour and progressive. She failed to meet fundraising goals for debates. Michael Blake (Democrat) Former Obama aide and state lawmaker Blake, 42, is known for his centrist policies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Whitney Tilson (Democrat) Hedge fund manager Tilson, 58, is a conservative Democrat, who campaigns against far-left candidates. Jim Walden (Independent) Attorney Walden, 59, is running as a centrist independent. Known for prosecuting mobsters, he has represented Cuomo in the past. Curtis Sliwa (Republican) Guardian Angels founder and radio host Sliwa, 71, is running alone on the Republican ticket. He has distanced himself from Trump and hopes to benefit from Democratic divisions.
The Guardian
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cuomo criticized for controversies and Trump denounced: key takeaways from New York mayoral debate
In the final debate of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, seven candidates took the stage Thursday night and sparred over their experience and records. The participants included former New York governor and controversial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, rising challenger and Democratic socialist state assembly member Zohran Mamdani, New York City council speaker Adrienne Adams; New York City comptroller Brad Lander, former comptroller Scott Stringer, State senator Zellnor Myrie, and former hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson. The Democratic primary election will be held on 24 June, with early voting beginning this weekend, on 14 June. Here are key takeaways from the two-hour debate: The debate quickly turned combative, with Cuomo and Mamdani dominating much of the night with sharp exchanges over their records, experience, and age. Cuomo, 67, who is attempting a political comeback after resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, dismissed 33-year-old Mamdani as unqualified and too inexperienced for the role of New York City mayor, repeating critiques he made during the first debate. Cuomo said that it would be 'reckless and dangerous' to elect Mamdani, before rattling off a list of government bodies that he claimed Mamdani had never faced or dealt with. 'He's never built anything' Cuomo added. 'He's never dealt with a natural emergency. He's never dealt with a hurricane, with a flood, etc. He's never done any of the essentials. And now you have Donald Trump on top of all of that.' Mamdani hit back, listing Cuomo's controversies as Governor, including he sexual harassment allegations. 'To Mr Cuomo,' Mamdani said 'I have never had to resign in disgrace. I have never cut Medicaid, I have never stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA, I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment, I have never sued for their gynecological records, and I have never done those things because I am not you, Mr Cuomo.' Mamdani also criticized Cuomo for repeatedly mispronouncing his name, spelling it out for him. 'If you were mayor of New York right now, how would you handle this situation, if something like that happened here?' the moderators asked. Cuomo vowed to defend New York City as a sanctuary city. 'We are going to protect our immigrants' Cuomo said. 'This is a sanctuary city, and we are going to defend the laws of the sanctuary city.' He added: 'Donald Trump only picks fights that he can win. He cannot win a fight with me as mayor of New York.' Mamdani pledged to ensure that the NYPD would not cooperate with federal immigration agents. He also vowed to fund legal services for immigrants facing deportation. Other candidates, such as Adrienne Adams, said that they would take the fight to the court, and would sue the federal government. 'We are right now dealing with a lawless president enacting lawless behavior across this entire nation,' Adams said. Cuomo faced criticism throughout the night. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander pressed Cuomo on his use of the term 'illegal immigrants' prompting Cuomo to switch to 'undocumented.' Lander accused Cuomo of avoiding accountability for his time in office. 'I lead by building the best teams, not through sexual harassment, corruption and disgrace' Lander said. Cuomo called the whole saga 'political' and urged voters to 'look at the facts.' Lander fired back, saying 'everybody here knows that you sexually harassed women, that you created a toxic work environment'. Cuomo accused Lander of telling lies. Moderators pressed Cuomo on his outreach to Muslim communities, noting that, according to Muslim American organizations, he never made a public visit to a mosque during his 10 plus years as Governor. The moderator asked Cuomo what he would say to the Muslim New Yorkers 'about whether or not you would reach out to them, make them feel welcome, make them feel protected'. Cuomo said he believed he had visited a mosque, adding: 'I would have to check the record.' He added: 'I would say, we are a city of immigrants. I welcome them. I love them' before going on to attack Mamdani once more, saying: 'I'm not Mr Mamdani. I'm not antisemitic. I'm not divisive.' Mamdani, who is Muslim, chimed in, saying 'The reason he doesn't have a message for Muslim New Yorkers is because he has nothing to say to us, because he doesn't see us as if we are every other New Yorker.' The moderators also asked Mamdani what he would say to 'Jewish New Yorkers who are supportive of Israel and fear for their safety in this current political climate.' 'That I hear them' Mamdani said. He continued, 'After the days of the horrific war crime of October 7, a friend of mine told me about how he felt sitting in a synagogue for Shabbat services when he heard the door open and a chill went up his spine as he turned around, not knowing who would be there. I will protect Jewish New Yorkers and deliver them…safety.' Mamdan then accused a Cuomo-aligned Super Pac of manipulating a photo of him on a draft campaign flier that made Mamdani's beard looks darker, longer and thicker, having earlier called it blatant islamophobia. Tilson named the Department of Education. Stringer pledged to make all agencies 'run better' and 'more efficient'. Myrie suggested reallocating funds from the Economic Development Corporation, and Mamdani criticized the city's reliance on expensive consultants, noting 'we're currently paying McKinsey millions of dollars to design a trash can.' Cuomo pointed to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development as a place he would begin making cuts.
