Latest news with #Cuomo
The Hill
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
NYPD investigating car bomb threat against mayoral candidate Mamdani
Police in New York are investigating car bomb threats against Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, according to a Thursday release from his campaign. Mamdani said a repeat caller has been leaving 'alarming' voicemails. 'While Zohran does not own a car, the violent and specific language of what appears to be a repeat caller is alarming and we are taking every precaution,' Mamdani said in a statement sent to The Hill by his campaign. 'While this is a sad reality, it is not surprising after millions of dollars have been spent on dehumanizing, Islamophobic rhetoric designed to stoke division and hate. Violence and racism should have no place in our politics. Zohran remains focused on delivering a safe and affordable New York,' the statement added. The New York State Assemblymember's reports of violent threats come after New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a fellow Democratic mayoral candidate, was arrested while leaving immigration court. It also follows a 'politically motivated' shooting involving two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota. 'This is an atrocious threat of political violence against Mr. Mamdani. It is unacceptable —I strongly condemn these threats and any others like them. This has no place in our politics or our society. Thankfully no one was harmed,' Andrew Cuomo, a Democratic candidate for mayor, wrote in a Thursday post on X. 'This is a pivotal time in this country and we need to tone down the rhetoric and focus on the people's agenda,' he added. Mamdani and Cuomo had a notably heated moment during the June 12 candidate debate. The former slammed the latter for past misconduct and mispronouncing his name. 'I have never had to resign in disgrace. 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 said during the debate. 'The name is Mamdani, M, A, M, D, A, N, I. You should learn how to say it,' he added. Cuomo and Mamdani are neck and neck with voters, separated by 10 percentage points— 55 percent to 45 percent— according to a June poll from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Jared Gans contributed to this article.
The Herald Scotland
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Inside NYC's voting system to rank candidates
With so many options, New Yorkers will choose their next mayor like they pick ice cream in the summer. The city's ranked choice system allows voters to choose their top five candidates for mayor, plus top picks in other city races. Even if your top choice doesn't make it, you can still get flavors, or candidates, you prefer. Ranked choice "allows for people to vote in a way that expresses how they feel," said Susan Kang, an associate professor of political science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The system aims to give voters more choices in a crowded field of nearly a dozen Democratic and a handful of Republican mayoral hopefuls in closed primaries for both parties. It also hopes to bring up candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, often without access to vast campaign war chests. The system, first approved by voters in 2019, has been used in elections around the country - from Alaska to Maine, and from San Francisco to tiny Woodland Hills, Utah (population 1,571). Other places, including Washington, D.C., more recently adopted it. Australians use the system. Winning New York City's Democratic primary is almost always a ticket to City Hall in a city that's about two-thirds registered Democrats. Primary lessons: Trump rules, Dems are revved. NYC's melee is next. How Cuomo v. Mamdani shows ranked choice voting Andrew Cuomo, New York's longtime governor who resigned in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment, had led comfortably in polls. Many voters see Cuomo, 67, as an experienced moderate executive who can fight President Donald Trump. But with ranked choice, state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist calling to freeze rents, has inched ever closer to Cuomo. That's because under ranked choice, a candidate has to get over 50% of votes. While polls have Cuomo ahead, he's unlikely to win most first-round votes. At each round, candidates with the fewest votes get eliminated. Voters who ranked less supported candidates first will have their subsequent choices allocated to their next ranked candidate. New York first used ranked choice voting in 2021. With many candidates vehemently opposed to Cuomo, their supporters' next-round votes can help Mamdani, who is endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive star. The process continues until there are two candidates left. Cuomo is favored to win, though polling has tightened between the former governor and Mamdani. Cross-endorsements, cooperation The city's first time using ranked choice, in 2021, resulted in the narrow, eighth-round victory of Eric Adams, the swaggering, scandal-plagued mayor. (Adams dropped out of the 2025 Democratic primary, opting to seek re-election as an independent.) Back in 2021, Adams' last standing opponent, Kathryn Garcia, received a late endorsement from Andrew Yang, another candidate. Yang supported ranked choice during a failed 2020 presidential run. "The ranked choice voting system enables you to take advantage of being someone's second- or third-place vote," Yang, now a third-party advocate, told USA TODA. "A smart candidate will try and capitalize on that." In 2025, there are more cross-endorsements between Mamdani and other candidates to Cuomo's left, such as city Comptroller Brad Lander and former lawmaker Michael Blake. Ranked choice challenges Under this relatively new system, voters need to know how to correctly rank their choices. In a 2023 study, Lindsey Cormack, an associate professor of quantitative social science at Stevens Institute of Technology, found higher levels of voided ballots in lower income areas and communities with lower educational attainment. There were also issues among people who speak a language other than English. "Anytime you change a system, you make it nominally harder, or at least the capacity for errors goes up, because there's just more boxes to tick," she said. Complicating matters, the primaries use ranked choice, but the general election does not. Nor do state or presidential elections. Only growing beyond June 24 primary election Politicians and experts agree that, with time, voters can get used to their new system. For now, ranked choice appears to continue expanding across cities and states. In November, Washington, D.C., approved ranked choice voting. Christina Henderson, one of the district's at-large representatives and a Brooklyn native, has supported ranked choice to help people dissatisfied with polarized politics. "If provided the right information, they can make the right choice for themselves," Henderson, an independent, said. "Now, the key is providing the right information." New York City's primary is June 24. Early voting is underway. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Politico
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Politico
As New York mayor's race heats up, Cuomo warns of inadequate weather plans
NEW YORK — The New York City mayoral race is heating up – literally. With temperatures predicted to hit 100 degrees on Election Day, front-runner Andrew Cuomo is anxious to get his voters into polling sites — and he's demanding better preparation from city officials. Cuomo, the Democratic frontrunner in the tightening race, posted on X, 'The steps outlined to meet the heat at polling locations are not sufficient. Water must be passed out and A/C systems must be installed to ensure that people who are voting can do so in a cool and comfortable environment.' The city Board of Elections' heat plan 'is insufficient, it's unacceptable,' Cuomo spokesperson Jason Elan said. 'We've been clear that the city should be distributing water on site, and that they would be installing a/c systems to make sure that everybody who wants to can make their voice heard on election day.' The former governor has reason to be concerned about turnout next Tuesday: His anticipated victory relies upon robust support from older voters, who are more susceptible to dangerous heat conditions. Board of Elections spokesperson Vincent Ignizio declined to comment on the Cuomo's campaign complaint. The board emphasized its preparation for the heat wave, releasing a statement earlier Thursday that staffers are finding fans for poll sites without air conditioning, 'ensuring a steady supply of water' and pledging a continuous supply of electricity, given the increased possibility of power outages. Ignizio couldn't say Thursday how many of the city's 1,213 poll sites lack air conditioning since the board's 'site-by-site assessment' was ongoing. Contingency plans are in place to keep voting going through power outages, he added. And the board doesn't expect any voters having to wait in long lines, whether indoors or out. 'Our anticipation is that there is ample amount of bandwidth in the system to accommodate the voting,' he said. There are just as many poll sites for the local primary as there were for the presidential election last year, which had roughly triple the turnout expected for the race to replace Mayor Eric Adams. Cuomo was the first candidate to publicly raise concerns about the heat wave. On Wednesday, he called on Mayor Eric Adams' administration to guarantee every poll site is 'cool, comfortable and accessible,' and ensure bottled water is provided to every voter. The former governor is running on his experience and take-charge attitude, and has taken digs at Adams' management. In a statement, City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus deferred to the Board of Elections, adding that it's an independent agency. 'As Andrew Cuomo should know, elections are managed by the New York City Board of Elections – an independent body, separate from the Adams administration,' she said. 'Mayor Adams believes that all New Yorkers should exercise their democratic right to vote, and we are coordinating closely with the New York City Board of Elections in advance of Tuesday's forecasted heat to monitor for impacts.' Cuomo isn't the only candidate with concerns. 'It's going to be blazing hot,' mayoral candidate Brad Lander said Thursday after casting his vote early. 'Let's make sure now that the air conditioning is working in every polling site, and let's make sure it's on in advance.' 'I do not have confidence that Eric Adams' administration will do it,' Lander added. Hot temperatures hurting Cuomo's vote total has been the subject of jokes from supporters of Zohran Mamdani. Cuomo's leading rival has a highly motivated base of younger voters who may be more likely to vote early, or to show up Tuesday despite the weather. 'Someone's worried about the old turnout Make it HOTTER!!!' leftist podcast host Stylianos Karoldis posted on X, referring to Cuomo. 'Praying to God it's a temperature only people under 45 can withstand,' he added. Mamdani's campaign is taking a more sober view. 'We're concerned about the health and safety of every voter, and want people to take every precaution,' spokesperson Andrew Epstein said. That includes the campaign's 'tens of thousands' of volunteers who will be standing outside poll sites as well, The campaign is preparing with pop-up tents, snacks, water and 'a lot of very specific guidance to canvassers to dress appropriately for the heat, to take breaks,' Epstein said. The National Weather Service is predicting a high near 94 Tuesday, with the heat index potentially exceeding 100 degrees at times, calling it 'a true summertime hot and humid regime.' Accuweather is also predicting that the high Tuesday could break the New York City record for June 24 of 96 degrees, set in 1888. Later that year, New Yorkers elected 30-year-old Tammany Hall favorite Hugh Grant, the youngest mayor in the city's history. Hoping to hold off the 33-year-old Mamdani, Cuomo's pushing his supporters to vote early, through Sunday, when temperatures will be merely hot, and not yet miserable. 'While it's hot out in New York today, it's only going to get hotter,' Cuomo's campaign wrote in an email to supporters Thursday. 'So please, vote today, and encourage everyone you know to vote now to avoid next week's extreme heat.' Voting rights advocates are pushing the same message. 'I don't ever remember a primary or any election day in New York state being remotely this hot,' said Perry Grossman, director of the Voting Rights Project at the New York Civil Liberties Union. 'My strong message to everybody is: early vote. Whether it's today, tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday, it's gonna be a little bit cooler. Take advantage of it.' Joe Anuta contributed reporting
Yahoo
12 hours 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.
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NYers' miserable options for mayor: Letters to the Editor — June 20, 2025
The Issue: The candidates running for NYC mayor in the upcoming Democratic primary on June 24. I've lived in New York City my entire adult life, and I've felt apathetic during the mayoral elections, in which I've mostly failed to participate ('Mamdani gaining on leader Cuo,' June 18). But this election is different: Zohran Mamdani is running on a set of beliefs that are antithetical to New York City. Advertisement Mamdani wants to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, which have already demonstrated that they will simply leave New York for more favorable economic climates, like Miami, if city policy becomes too prohibitive. That would not only cause unemployment, it will also reduce the operating budgets of the many cultural institutions that rely on donations. If you want to protect the greatness of New York City, simply leave Mamdani off of the ballot. It doesn't matter who wins. Advertisement It only matters that Mamdani loses. If Mamdani loses, New York City wins. Quinn Larrabee Manhattan Advertisement To all the New Yorkers who are concerned about the upcoming mayoral election, please understand that none of the Democrats in this primary have the city's best interest at heart. The only candidate that cares for you and this once-great city is Republican Curtis Sliwa. Yes, as a Democrat, you can vote for Curtis in the general, and you should if you want to live in a safe New York. Advertisement Tom Falanga Brooklyn Has anyone stated the obvious? This upcoming election for mayor is a casserole of disaster that needs all new ingredients. There's not one person running who I'd vote for with the belief that they have what's best for the voters in mind. They are all delusional, selfish individuals with themselves in mind. Alfred Bonnabel Manhattan Advertisement Why does The Post constantly run op-eds and editorials criticizing Andrew Cuomo? While no candidate, including Cuomo, is perfect, he is our best hope of defeating Mamdani, who would ruin New York City if he becomes mayor. The upcoming primary is pivotal. Bashing Cuomo could contribute to a disaster. Advertisement Anne J. Roth Forest Hills It is inconceivable that New Yorkers may have to choose between Mamdani, Cuomo and several other low-lights in the race for mayor. Mamdani, a radical socialist, espouses ideas that are absurd and would ruin New York's economy. Cuomo's audacity to even think about running after his callous and moronic decisions during COVID killed countless people, which he then tried to cover up, is beyond belief. Advertisement The rest of the Democratic field is pitiful as well. Robert DiNardo Farmingdale Since Cuomo is the supposed frontrunner, I'd like to remind New Yorkers of several things: He issued an order that resulted in the deaths of numerous seniors, and he shut down the Moreland Commission investigation when it was getting too close to his office. Advertisement He gave New York bail reform, which resulted in a crime wave. He's using New York as a springboard to the White House. You can do better. Robert K. Greco Milford, Pa. Will the moron Democrats in New York City ever wake up? I guess they like lying politicians, who tax the hell out of them and are more worried about illegals than Americans. Vote for a Republican, and things will get better for the working man. Donald Coles Boynton Beach, Fla. The race for mayor makes me thankful I don't live in New York City. The leading candidates are a disgraced former governor who was forced to resign amd a pure socialist who wants to give away everything for free and defund the police and hates Israel. And the incumbent, running as an independent, smokes cigars with a pair of antisemites. I can't vote in New York, but if I could, my choice would be 'none of the above.' Warren Goldfein Mount Arlington, NJ Mamdani is gaining on Cuomo? With all the upheaval going on in the city, you'd think people would be ready to jump ship. But if they vote Mamdani into office, then they deserve what they get! Patti Brazzi Punta Gorda, Fla. Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
