Polling places have already opened for New York City’s mayoral race. New Yorkers have started casting their ballots as the early voting period began on Saturday, October 25. Early voting will end on November 2.
The official election day is on November 4.
Early voting has been allowed in New York since 2019, and it has become increasingly popular. In June, during the mayoral primary, 35 per cent of the ballots were cast early and in person.
On day 1 of early voting, nearly 80,000 voters cast their ballots, according to CBS News.
The polling places will open between 8 and 10 am and close between 4 pm and 8 pm. On election day, polling places will be open from 6 am to 9 pm.
The top three candidates running for the elections are Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Silwa, and former New York governor and independent Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani will also be on the ballot for Working Families, and Silwa will also be running under Protect Animals.
Liberal voters are rallying behind Mamdani due to his proposals for rent freezes, creation of publicly owned grocery stores, and free childcare.
Mamdani had defeated Cuomo to become the Democratic nominee. Cuomo later filed to run as an independent under the Fight and Deliver ballot line.
Apart from the candidates, New Yorkers will also be voting on six ballot measures pertaining to a winter sports complex, housing, consolidating the city map, and running the elections on the same schedule as the presidential elections.
