NEW YORK – As New Yorkers get ready to head to the polls with early voting beginning Friday, some may still feel confused about this year’s ballot: Why are some candidates listed twice? What’s on the back? Why does Mayor Eric Adams appear?
FOX 5 NY‘s Robert Moses and Dan Bowens walk through what voters need to know. Here’s a breakdown:
Q: Why do some candidates appear more than once on the ballot?
What we know:
A: You might notice mayoral candidates like Zohran Mamdani or Curtis Sliwa listed twice — that’s because they’re endorsed by multiple parties. Mamdani appears on both the Democratic and Working Families party lines, while Sliwa is listed under Republican and Protect Animals.
But remember: You can only vote once for a candidate. Filling in both circles for the same person won’t give them two votes — it just risks confusing your ballot. So, pick one circle next to your preferred candidate’s name, under either party line.
Q: Is this a ranked-choice election?
A: Not this time. Unlike the primaries, which used ranked-choice voting, the general election is winner-takes-all. That means you vote for one candidate per race, and whoever gets the most votes wins.
A voter casts their ballot at a polling station during the New York City mayoral Democratic primary in the Queens borough of New York, US, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Q: Why are some candidates who dropped out still on the ballot?
A: You might still see names like Jim Walden and Mayor Eric Adams on the ballot, even though they’ve exited the race. That’s because they dropped out after the ballot printing deadline — too late for the Board of Elections to remove them.
If you want your vote to count toward an active candidate, make sure to choose someone still in the race.
Q: What other races are on the ballot besides the mayor’s race?
A: A lot! While the mayor’s race draws most of the attention, there are several down-ballot races that directly affect neighborhoods and day-to-day city life — including:
- Public Advocate
- City Council seats
- District Attorney
Why you should care:
As Moses put it, those local seats can impact “the nitty-gritty” issues that matter most, from neighborhood services to public safety.
Q: What are the ballot proposals this year?
Dig deeper:
A: Flip over your ballot, and you’ll see six ballot proposals. Here’s the quick rundown:
- Olympic Sports Complex Expansion: This measure would allow the expansion of ski trails and facilities at the Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County, located on state forest preserve land.
- Fast-Track Affordable Housing Approval: This would create two new processes to speed up approvals for affordable housing — especially in areas that have built the least of it.
- Simplify Review of Modest Housing & Infrastructure Projects: This is designed to streamline the land-use review process for small-scale projects like modest housing or storm-prep infrastructure.
- Create an Affordable Housing Appeals Board: This would establish a three-member board — including the Council Speaker, local Borough President and the Mayor — to review Council actions that block or alter affordable housing proposals.
- Create a Digital City Map: Currently, five Borough Presidents manage separate mapping systems. This measure would centralize those into one consolidated digital City Map under the Department of City Planning.
- Election Year Shift: This proposal would move local elections to presidential election years to boost voter turnout.
The idea behind that last one? Many voters only show up for presidential elections — so combining them could increase participation.
NYC election 2025: What voters need to know about six ballot proposals
When New Yorkers head to the polls next month, they’ll weigh in on more than just the mayor’s race — six ballot proposals will also shape the city’s future. The measures range from expanding affordable housing and simplifying zoning reviews to approving an Olympic sports complex upstate, giving voters a say on key development and infrastructure changes. FOX 5 NY’s Antoine Lewis has the details.
Preview a sample ballot Q: Any final voting tips?
What you can do:
A: Definitely. Here’s what the reporters recommend:
- Vote early if you can — lines on Election Day can be long. Early voting begins Friday, Oct. 25.
- Check both sides of your ballot — the back includes the ballot questions.
- Don’t skip local races — your City Council or DA vote matters too.
- Early voting ends Sunday, Nov. 2, right before Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Bottom Line
What’s next:
Take your time with your ballot, double-check your choices and don’t forget to flip it over. With so many important decisions — from mayor to housing reform — every vote truly helps shape the city’s future.
As Bowens summed it up: “If you take your time, we’re all going to figure it out.”
The Source: This report uses analysis from FOX 5 NY reporters and information from the New York City Board of Elections.
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