Mamdani, a democratic socialist, energized liberal voters and strongly condemned Israel’s war in Gaza.
Polling stations have opened for the start of in-person voting in New York City’s mayoral election, one of the most closely watched elections of the year in the United States.
New Yorkers began choosing between Democrat Zoran Mamdani, who has a significant lead in polls, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and Democratic former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is on the ballot as an independent, on Saturday. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is also on the ballot, but withdrew from the race last month and recently announced his support for Cuomo.
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Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has energized liberal voters, drawn to proposals such as universal free child care, free busing and a rent freeze for New Yorkers living in about 1 million rent-regulated apartments.
Mr. Cuomo criticized Mr. Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, for his criticism of Israel.
Mamdani, who has weathered anti-Islamic rhetoric during the contest, said Israel’s military action in Gaza amounts to genocide, a view shared by United Nations investigators, genocide experts and numerous rights groups.
In an emotional speech on Friday, Mamdani said the attacks against him were “racist and baseless.”
“To be a Muslim in New York is to expect humiliation, but humiliation doesn’t distinguish us. There are many New Yorkers who have faced that. It’s about tolerating that humiliation,” said Mamdani, who won a landslide victory over Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary in June.
Mr. Cuomo has criticized Mr. Mamdani’s policies as naive and fiscally irresponsible. He has urged voters to elect him because of his experience as governor, but he resigned from that position in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.
New York state has allowed early voting since 2019, and it has become relatively popular. According to the city’s Campaign Finance Commission, about 35% of voters voted early and in person in June’s mayoral primary.
The gubernatorial race in neighboring New Jersey is also attracting attention. It depicts Republican State Representative Jack Ciatarelli facing off against Democratic U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill. New Jersey introduced early voting in 2021.
Off-year elections in both states could prove prescient for Democratic leaders as they try to decide what kind of candidate is best to lead resistance to Republican President Donald Trump’s policies.
Ashley Corning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said the campaign is focused on issues of prices and the cost of living, as well as the ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party.
“While New York City is pitting progressives against establishment veterans in Mamdani vs. Cuomo, New Jersey is looking to moderate Mikie Sherrill to appeal to a broad middle class,” she said.
In their final debate earlier this month, New Jersey gubernatorial candidates bitterly debated the federal government shutdown, Mr. Sherrill’s military history, Mr. Trump’s policies and the state’s high cost of living.
The winner will replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
