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Time Magazine
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
How Ranked-Choice Voting in the New York City Mayoral Primary Works
Early voting is already underway in New York City's contentious Democratic primary for mayor ahead of the June 24 election. The last three mayoral elections in New York have been won by a Democratic candidate, meaning whoever wins the primary is likely to become the city's next mayor. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has long held a lead in primary polls, but state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has narrowed the gap in recent weeks with a surge in momentum. Voters will be able to rank multiple candidates on their ballots rather than just picking their top choice after the city adopted ranked-choice voting in a 2019 referendum. Eric Adams, who currently holds the position, is not in the Democratic race after he was charged with bribery, illegal campaign finance and conspiracy offenses in September 2024. Adams pleaded not guilty, and in April the charges were dropped by the Department of Justice. He is running for Mayor again this year as an Independent candidate. Alongside Adams and the eventual Democratic candidate, Republican Curtis Sliwa is running again after being defeated by Adams in 2021. Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor, is also running as an Independent. Here's everything you need to know about who's running in the New York City Democratic primary—and how the voting works. Who is on the ballet—and what do they stand for? Cuomo, the frontrunner in the tightening race,has focused on affordability, security and housing on the campaign trail. Cuomo has said that he will increase the size of the police force by 15%, an estimated 5,000 extra officers, reduce income tax for some low-income households, and provide more affordable housing with more robust tenants rights. The 67-year-old has come under scrutiny from other candidates for scandals he faced as governor. He resigned from the position in 2021 after more than a dozen women made allegations of sexual harassment against him. Cuomo has denied ever inappropriately touching or propositioning anyone, though he apologized for comments he made in the workplace that he said 'may have been insensitive or too personal.' An investigation by the state attorney general's office found that he 'sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees' and 'created a hostile work environment for women.' In May, the Justice Department opened an investigation into Cuomo regarding his testimony on the City's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as governor. Mamdani, the Assemblymember who has recently been rising in the polls,has focused his campaign on the cost of living, using the slogan 'A City We Can Afford.' Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has said that he will freeze rent increases across New York, provide fare-free buses, provide free childcare to those aged six weeks to 5 years old, and establish non-profit grocery stores run by the City. The youngest candidate in the primaries at 33, Mamdani has faced criticism for some remarks on the Israel-Hamas war, including when he appeared to defend the slogan 'globalize the intifada.' Mamdani has denied allegations of antisemitism, while also speaking about the Islamophobia he has experienced in his career. When questioned on whether he believes Israel has the right to exist, he replied: "I believe Israel has the right to exist … as a state with equal rights.' New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, whose arrest at an immigration courthouse last week thrust him into the national spotlight, is also running in the Democratic primary, focusing on safety and affordability, as well as ' Standing up to Donald Trump.' Lander has said he aims to end homelessness for those with serious mental health issues with a policy he says will put people in stable housing 70-90% of the time. Lander also says that he will build 500,000 new housing units and 'cut through red tape' for more affordable housing, plus improve transport efficiency. The city comptroller was arrested on Tuesday, June 17, at a New York courthouse as he was escorting a migrant man who agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were seeking to detain, becoming the latest of several elected officials across the country to confront federal authorities over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Lander and Mamdani have cross-endorsed each other, urging their supporters to rank the other second on their ballots. Adrienne Adams, Assemblymember for New York's 28th district and Speaker of the New York City Council, is also in the running. Adams, like other candidates, has put her focus on affordability and housing in New York. She has said she will continue to push for more housing construction and affordable housing, as well as investment in law enforcement and other programs to try and prevent crime before it happens. Similarly to Mamdani and Lander, Adams has hit out against Trump in her campaign. The Assemblymember says on her website that she has already worked to 'Trump-proof NYC' and will keep the President—who she says 'threatens everything that makes us New York'—in check if she is elected Mayor.. Other candidates in the race who have garnered lower support in recent polls are former Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee Michael Blake, New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie, New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, former New York Comptroller Scott Stringer, and investor Whitney Tilson. How does ranked-choice voting actually work? Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank multiple candidates in order of their preference, putting their preferred choices first, then second, then third and so forth. In New York City, the method is used for Special and Primary Elections for Mayor, as well as in Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council elections. Adopted in 2019, it was first used in 2021. Voters in the Democratic mayoral primaries are able to rank their top five candidates, but are not required to fill all five slots. If a candidate gets over 50% first-choice votes, they win. But if not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated as votes are counted in subsequent rounds. For voters who put the last-place candidate as their first choice, their second choice is then counted. This process of elimination continues until there is a majority winner. While this is the process for New York, the system varies from state to state where ranked-choice voting has been adopted. What are the advantages and disadvantages of ranked-choice voting? Nonpartizan organization FairVote says that this voting system eliminates a few issues, such as 'vote-splitting,' in which similar candidates can draw votes away from each other. FairVote argues that ranked choice means voters can support multiple candidates, and their vote is still represented if their first choice is eliminated. It also encourages cross endorsing, such as with Mamdani and Lander, giving voters an idea of like-minded candidates. RankedVote, a software company that advocates for the system, argues that voters' opinions are heard throughout the process and are more represented. 'Once there's more than two candidates in a typical 'most votes wins' election, it's very easy for the 'winner' to have a weak plurality of support. It's entirely possible that the winning candidate only commands 38% of the vote when a majority of the electorate would have preferred someone else,' the company argues. However, a voting system different from what the public are used to could cause confusion. Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf said that the system could benefit voters more educated on voting procedures. Ranked-choice voting also allows for scenarios in which the candidate with the most first-choice votes still loses. This occurred in the 2018 House election for Maine's second district, in which Democratic candidate Jared Golden received 131,954 first-choice votes, compared to Republican Bruce Poliquin's 134,061. However, due to the ranked-choice process, Golden won by almost 3,000 votes. What other states use ranked choice voting? The system is used in 17 different states across the U.S. in a number of different state and local elections. In Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, it is also used for military and overseas voters. In Maine, the system is used in primary and general elections for the presidency, Senate, and House elections, including the aforementioned 2018 election, as well as in statewide and state assembly primaries. In Alaska, it is also used statewide for general elections.
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Model Walked Away, but Never Stopped Fighting
There was a time when those close to Sara Ziff found it baffling that, by age 20, she had out-earned her father, Ed, a neuroscience professor at New York University, simply, as her mother, Susan, once remarked, for being 'pretty and on time.' In 'Picture Me,' the 2009 documentary Ms. Ziff made with camcorder footage from her days as a fashion model, she is seen receiving a paycheck for more than $111,000, which elicits little more than a shrug. Ms. Ziff joined the modeling business in 1996 after a photographer scouted her on her way home from the Bronx High School of Science, when she was a freshman. Soon enough, instead of babysitting on the weekends, Ms. Ziff was attending casting calls and landing spots in Seventeen magazine. After graduation, instead of heading to an Ivy League university like most of her peers, she opted for the runway. 'I knew that models were often valued for their extreme youth and that if I wanted to have a shot at it, this was my chance,' Ms. Ziff said. 'And that it could be an opportunity to put away some money.' For Ms. Ziff, that was the first in a series of bold choices in which she built a career, helped expose some of the seedier sides of the business, and ultimately stepped away from the glamour and paychecks to stand up for the rights and protections of others. The culmination of much of that work comes on Thursday, when New York State will implement the Fashion Workers Act, a piece of legislation championed by the Model Alliance, a group founded by Ms. Ziff that aims to remake the modeling industry in the fashion epicenter of the United States. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NY's Native American logo ban turned over to DOJ as Trump admin fights to save Massapequa Chiefs
New York State's ban on Native American logos was referred to federal prosecutors Tuesday after the Trump administration enthusiastically jumped in to save the name of the Massapequa Chiefs on Long Island. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon wrote a fire letter referring the 'absurd' issue to the Department of Justice in a lifeline to the Massapequa after New York State refused to voluntarily dissolve its policy on an offer from the department's Office for Civil Rights. 'Both the New York Department of Education and the Board of Regents violated federal antidiscrimination law and disrespected the people of Massapequa by implementing an absurd policy,' said McMahon, who visited the Long Island High School in May. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon is taking the Massapequa Chiefs logo issues to the Department of Justice, calling New York's attempt to remove it 'absurd.' Heather Khalifa for the NY Post She torched the ban — enacted in 2023 — on Native American logos and imagery for public schools during a May visit to the Long Island school, saying it was discriminatory because it only applied to names and logos of one ethnicity. 'You've got the Huguenots, we've got the Highlanders, we've got the Scotsman. Why is that not considered in any way racist?' she asked in the gym surrounded by students. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon toured Massapequa High School in May. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post McMahon brought the case to the DOJ as a Title VI civil rights violation, which was an 'unlawful attempt to ban mascots and logos that celebrate Native American history,' according to her office. Initially, the state Board of Regents and the state education department were twice offered a resolution agreement, which would have allowed them to voluntarily withdraw from the ban or risk a referral to the DOJ. Both rejected the offers, her office said. 'Both of these entities continue to disrespect the people of Massapequa by refusing to come into compliance with the Office for Civil Rights' proposed agreement to rectify their violations of civil rights law,' said McMahon. 'We will not allow New York state to silence the voices of Native Americans, and discriminatorily choose which history is acceptable to promote or erase.' 5 The town has aggressively fought to keep its Chiefs name. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Massapequa has been involved in lengthy legal action supported by the Native American Guardians Association to retain its Chiefs logo. The district would have to spend $1 million to phase out the team name, according to school board president Kerry Wachter. 'This is a school that really takes its education seriously, and they're incredibly, incredibly behind their school, behind their Chiefs,' McMahon told The Post while in Massapequa last month. 'I think this is wrong — what's happening at Massapequa, to take away this incredible mascot and emblem of Chiefs.' Other Native American-named districts on Long Island that had unsuccessfully sued New York are now allocating massive funds to replace their mascots and logos — most shockingly, the Connetquot which said rebranding from the Thunderbirds will cost $23 million. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon criticized that the logo ban applies only to Native American culture. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Dave Frank, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Education, has responded to discriminatory claims to say the state could expand the ban to include other names and logos ruled to be offensive. 'That's their workaround … we've demonstrated that this regulation was not a good idea,' Wachter previously told The Post. 'Now you're wanting to put another unfunded mandate on top of all these districts who are just barely making it, just to not give Massapequa the win?' 5 Massapequa School Board President Kerry Wachter is seen wearing a shirt with President Trump's 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS' quote. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post Rather than caving, townsfolk in Massapequa have rallied in support of the fight since President Trump intervened in April and ironically declared, 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!' 'We've garnered the support from the President of the United States, the Department of Education, the whole town, the Native American Guardians Association, and now we expect the same from the Department of Justice,' Chiefs lawyer and Massapequa native Oliver Roberts told The Post.. 'Never underestimate the power and resolve of Massapequa.'
Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
New York State Manufacturing Activity Weakens Further
Factory activity in New York State contracted at a faster pace this month, as new orders and shipments weakened and inflationary pressures continued to be strong, a monthly survey of firms said. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Monday that its statewide manufacturing index fell to minus 16 this month from minus 9.2 in May. A consensus of economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expected it to rise to minus 6.0.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Here's Where To Find The Gilded Age In New York
'The Gilded Age' returns for its third season on HBO on June 22. This period drama tells of fictional and real-life characters from this era of tremendous wealth displayed through opulent mansions. While this show is largely set in New York City, there are places throughout New York State that were built amid the Gilded Age and remain today. Here's where to find the Gilded Age in New York. The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is housed in what was once the home of steel titan Andrew Carnegie and his wife, Louise Whitfield Carnegie. Manhattan's Fifth Avenue was once referred to as Millionaire's Row and aligned with stately homes. Many have been razed or repurposed for commercial development but other mansions still remain. The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum was originally the family residence of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, and his wife, Louise Whitfield Carnegie. In 1976, the mansion became the home for this Smithsonian-affiliated institution and design museum that's the only one of its kind in the United States; it promotes all disciplines of design. The Frick Collection reopened in spring 2025 after a major five-year renovation within its permanent space at the former mansion of Henry Clay Frick, a financier, arts patron and industrialist. It is a repository of Old World master paintings and European sculpture and art along with having welcomed its first-ever onsite restaurant in June. The Frick Collection is based within the former home of industrialist Henry Clay Frick. In Manhattan's Murray Hill, The Morgan Library & Museum is derived from John Pierpont "J.P." Morgan's personal library. The financier amassed an impressive collection of manuscripts, early printed books and old master drawings and prints. Now part of the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, the Villard Houses were a set of former residences for Henry Villard, president of the Northern Pacific Railway. In Brooklyn, season two of HBO's 'The Gilded Age' featured the construction and opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was unveiled in 1883. The Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs is a crown jewel. In the 19th century, Saratoga Springs became a popular resort destination for its natural mineral waters and Saratoga Race Course. First opened in 1877, The Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs welcomed financiers, politicians and celebrities. A five-year restoration was completed in 2017 and preserved her original architectural details while adding in modern guest amenities. Other Gilded Age hotels in Saratoga Springs include the Batcheller Mansion Inn and Union Gables Inn. Then there's Saratoga Springs History Museum, within the circa 1870s Canfield Casino, and Yaddo Gardens, part of the former summer estate of financier Spencer Trask. Troy has been used often as a film set in HBO's 'The Gilded Age.' Sites include the Oakwood Cemetery; Rensselaer County Courthouse; Hart Cluett Museum; Washington Park; Troy Savings Bank Music Hall; and Paine Castle. Boldt Castle in New York's Thousand Islands region was a project initiated by George Boldt. This New York region along the U.S.-Canada border attracted many weather travelers amid the Gilded Age who built lavish estates here. Boldt Castle was spearheaded by hotelier George C. Boldt, as a summer home for his wife, Louise. Its construction was ceased when Louise suddenly died. Having been abandoned for over 70 years, the castle was revitalized by Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and is open for tours in warmer months. Singer Castle was commissioned by Frederick Bourne, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, as a hunting lodge and summer family retreat. Unlike Boldt Castle, the medieval-looking Singer Castle was fully completed and used for many years. Guests can stay overnight in a special suite. Lyndhurst in Tarrytown was where railroad baron Jay Gould once lived. Purchased by railroad baron Jay Gould, Lyndhurst in Tarrytown is a strong example of Gothic Revival architecture in America, with castle-like crenelations, turrets and stained glass in arched windows. Leave time to stroll Lyndhurst's 67 acres packed with Hudson River vistas and gardens and a recently restored, circa 1894 bowling alley. Kykuit, The Rockefeller Estate in Sleepy Hollow was the home of John D. Rockefeller, Standard Oil magnate and the richest American of his time. This six-story structure still holds this family's collections, ranging from antique furniture to classic cars to works by world-famous artists. Kykuit in Sleepy Hollow was the home of John D. Rockefeller, who was once considered to be America's most richest man. Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington was built toward the end of what was then known as the 'octagon style craze.' As one of only two domed octagons in the United States, this New York house is amid just over three acres of restored 19th-century landscape design. In Yonkers, Glenview Mansion at the Hudson River Museum is tucked within its main building. This former home of stockbroker John Bond Trevor was staged as the home for Mrs. Astor in 'The Gilded Age's' first two seasons. Yonkers' Untermyer Gardens are at what was originally Greystone, the estate of hat manufacturer John T. Waring and then its later owner and social progressive, Samuel Untermyer. Wind along sculpted griffins, a hilltop tempietto, fountains, a grotto, marble colonnades, a reflection pool and an amphitheater amid Hudson views. Oheka Castle sits on the highest point of Long Island, Long Island's Gold Coast region along the North Shore is often linked to F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' but it also has ties to the Gilded Age. Old Westbury Gardens reflects the era's opulence with a 23-room English manor house and over 200 acres of traditional, formal gardens. Once the home of lawyer and businessman John S. Phipps and his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps, this estate has been featured in many movies and TV shows. The listing includes 'The Gilded Age,' along with 'North by Northwest' and 'Love Story.' Old Westbury Gardens on Long Island has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Oheka Castle is a historic hotel and wedding venue in Huntington that is also open to public estate and garden tours. This French-style chateau, built as a summer residence for financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn, sits on the highest peak in Long Island. The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport is linked to William Vanderbilt II, a yachtsman and motor race driver. While creating an onsite museum for his collection of marine specimens, Vanderbilt established a trust fund for his estate to fully become a museum upon his death in 1944. Camp Sagamore in The Adirondacks was established by William West Durant, who is credited with starting the region's 'Great Camp' movement. The Adirondacks are credited as the birthplace of the American vacation and the Gilded Age elite would come and build sprawling compounds designed to reflect the Adirondack landscape and known as 'Great Camps.' Many Great Camps were built by the Rockefeller, Durant, Post and Carnegie families, and are still used as private residences or have guest accommodations. Great Camp Sagamore in Raquette Lake was crafted in 1897 by William West Durant, who is credited with starting the 'Great Camp' movement. This wilderness retreat was a cherished haven for the Vanderbilt family for over five decades. Today, you can stay at this landmark and see its storied buildings and lush grounds. White Pine Camp was once was the summer White House of President Calvin Coolidge. Among other amenities, the retreat contains a bowling alley. Great Camp Santanoni in Newcomb was built by and for the Pruyn family and welcomed its first guests in the spring of 1893. This secluded National Historic Landmark is also one of the earliest examples of an Adirondack Great Camp. White Pine Camp in Paul Smiths was the summer White House of President Calvin Coolidge. This year-round retreat offers 13 distinct cabins and cottages featuring handcrafted Adirondack-style furniture and cozy stone fireplaces or wood stoves. Unique facilities include a Japanese tea house, bowling alley, tennis house and boat houses. Other ways to learn more about the Adirondacks' vacation history are the museum, ADKX, or by taking a scenic lake cruise with the Raquette Lake Navigation Company. The Adirondack Trail is being built along the former New York Central railroad line between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake, as a multi-use recreation trail and partly with restored train service. It is to be finished later this summer.
