Zohran Mamdani beats Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa to become NYC mayor

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani was elected the mayor of New York City on Tuesday (local time) after securing a decisive victory in the closely watched race, Associated Press reported. Mamdani emerged as the front-runner, defeating former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who contested as an independent and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Former mayor Eric Adams, who held the position until Mamdani’s win, had withdrawn from the race in September, paving the way for a three-way contest between Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa.

Polling stations across the United States opened at 6 am on Tuesday (local time) and remained open until 9 pm. Early voting had begun on October 25 and concluded on Sunday.

The New York City mayoral election also marked the first national poll during Donald Trump’s second presidential term, drawing nationwide attention to voter turnout and party performances.

Historic win and record turnout

With 89 per cent of the estimated votes counted, Mamdani has received 1,019,433 votes, accounting for 50.4 per cent of the total.

Independent candidate and former New York governor Andrew M Cuomo followed with 841,961 votes, or 41.6 per cent, while Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa trailed with 144,620 votes, representing 7.1 per cent. In total, 2,024,407 votes have been reported so far across the city, according to The New York Times.

According to the New York City Board of Elections, more than 2 million voters cast their ballots -- the highest turnout in a mayoral race since 1969.

With his victory, Zohran Mamdani (34) has made history as New York City’s youngest mayor since the 19th century, and its first Muslim and South Asian mayor. Born in Uganda to parents of Indian descent, Mamdani also becomes the first naturalised immigrant to hold the office since Abraham Beame in the 1970s.

Who is Zohran Mamdani?

Born in Kampala, Uganda, Zohran Mamdani comes from a family deeply rooted in academia and the arts. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a well-known Ugandan author and Marxist scholar of Indian descent, while his mother, Mira Nair, is an acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker known for Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake.

Mamdani moved to New York City at the age of seven, where he attended public schools and later graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College and became a naturalised American citizen in 2018.

Before joining politics, Mamdani worked as a housing counsellor in Queens, helping low-income families with housing issues, financial literacy and foreclosure prevention. He made history as the first South Asian man and first Ugandan elected to the New York State Assembly, and only the third Muslim to hold the position.

Political career

Mamdani began his political journey with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in 2017, volunteering for progressive campaigns, including those of Tiffany Caban and Khader El-Yateem. He was elected to the State Assembly in 2020 and re-elected unopposed in 2022 and 2024. His policy agenda focuses on affordable housing, free public transport and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.

“This campaign is for every person who believes in the dignity of their neighbours and that the government’s job is to actually make our lives better,” Mamdani said when announcing his mayoral bid.

Controversies

Despite his progressive image, Mamdani has faced criticism for his remarks on Israel and India. In a Fox5 interview, he said he does not support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, arguing that equality should be enshrined in every nation. His comments drew sharp backlash from pro-Israel groups and conservative commentators, who accused him of anti-Semitism.