{"id":332618,"date":"2025-10-25T23:58:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T23:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/332618\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T23:58:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T23:58:19","slug":"early-voting-starts-massive-turnout-across-the-city-as-new-yorkers-cast-ballots-in-2025-nyc-mayors-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/332618\/","title":{"rendered":"EARLY VOTING STARTS: Massive turnout across the city as New Yorkers cast ballots in 2025 NYC Mayor\u2019s Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Yorkers flooded the polls on Saturday, turning out in record numbers for the first day of early voting.\n<\/p>\n

According to figures from the city\u2019s Board of Elections<\/a>, participation citywide more than quadrupled compared with 202<\/a>1, and more than doubled the turnout on the first day of the June primaries.<\/a><\/p>\n

Manhattan led the surge with 24,046 voters casting ballots on Oct. 25, up from 4,563 on the first day of early voting in 2021 and more than double the 10,003 recorded during the primary.\n<\/p>\n

Brooklyn followed with 22,105 check-ins, up from 3,751 in 2021 and 10,244 in the primary. Queens had 19,045 voters, the Bronx 7,793, and Staten Island 6,420, all significantly higher than both prior elections.<\/p>\n

Overall, 79,409 voters were checked in citywide, compared with 15,418 on the first day of early voting in the 2021 general election and 30,553 during the first day of the June primary.\n<\/p>\n

Manhattan early voters say: \u2018We need a change right now\u2019<\/p>\n

During Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo\u2019s last showdown at the polls during June\u2019s Democratic primary, the Queens Assembly Member notched a significant edge<\/a> over the former Governor \u2014 44% to 36%. By borough, Mamdani won a majority in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, while Cuomo came out on top in the Bronx and Staten Island.<\/p>\n

In Manhattan, Mamdani had a six-point lead<\/a> over Cuomo, but the former governor managed to hold on to pockets of support, such as in areas of the Lower East Side.<\/p>\n

As voters went to the polls there on the first day of early voting, those who spoke to amNewYork Saturday voiced a wide range of opinions \u2014 from frustration with both major parties to enthusiasm for front-runner and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani\u2019s campaign. According to most opinion polls, Mamdani\u2019s campaign is ahead by double-digit margins coming into the general election.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nilka, a lifelong Democrat who recently left the party, cast her ballot for Republican Curtis Sliwa.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a diehard Democrat. But after COVID, I changed to no party,\u201d she said. \u201cI was just done with the Democrats, so I changed to no party. So I pick whoever I want.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Nilka said she intends to register as a Republican before the next election cycle. \u201cI\u2019m going to switch to Republican,\u201d she said, adding that she was disappointed President Donald Trump had not fully endorsed Sliwa for mayor.<\/p>\n

She said she supports Sliwa because of his long-standing presence in the city. \u201cCurtis, what you see him doing is not fake because he\u2019s been doing this for years with the Guardian Angels. So he has my vote.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"VotersVoters show off their badge of participation on the first day of early votingPhoto by Adam Daly<\/p>\n

The lifelong Lower East Sider said she believes Mamdani represents a Democratic Party that has changed beyond recognition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries\u00a0became the\u00a0latest of several high-ranking Democrats<\/a> to endorse the DSA-backed Mamdani, but months after his convincing win in\u00a0the Democratic nomination.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nilka also voiced anger toward Independent candidate Cuomo, saying he has \u201cblood on his hands\u201d over his handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The talking point throughout the campaign season stems from an order from Cuomo\u2019s state Health Department in the deadly spring of 2020, which permitted COVID-positive patients to be readmitted into nursing homes. Cuomo and his campaign have maintained there is no evidence to suggest the move caused additional deaths and that the order was exploited by his rivals for political purposes.<\/p>\n

Other voters across. the city shared Nilka\u2019s disillusionment but not her political shift.\n<\/p>\n

Two women voting Saturday, one from Queens and the other from Brooklyn, said they were unhappy with the mayoral candidate choices but would likely vote for Mamdani.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that I will vote for him,\u201d said Marcia, a Brooklyn Democrat. \u201cWe need a change right now. Let\u2019s give him a break.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Marcia, who lives in East New York, said crime and safety were among her biggest concerns. \u201cEvery weekend there\u2019s a shooting, a drug deal,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need to keep the streets clean. I\u2019m tired of hearing gunshots every time I go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe first day of early voting sees New Yorkers at Lower East Side Preparatory High School turning out for the mayoral race in particularPhoto by Adam Daly<\/p>\n

Her friend Taishima from Far Rockaway said she was torn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am really not for Mamdani,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m not really happy with any of the candidates\u2026 I probably go for Mamdani because he\u2019s a popular choice. But am I like happy? No, I\u2019m not really confident with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For others, like a family who came to cast their ballots with their dogs, Kiki and Manny, getting behind Mamdani was a cause for celebration.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe voted for Zohran,\u201d said Linda Qui\u00f1ones. \u201cHis campaign runs on affordability. We are lifelong New Yorkers, and I think that\u2019s the number one thing that\u2019s important to us right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother, Lee Nguyen, and her boyfriend, Eddie Hernandez, agreed. \u201cSafety is also important to us,\u201d Qui\u00f1ones said. \u201cBut I think he really got to the heart of like, New York should be for New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Linda,Linda, Eddie and Lee show off their \u2018I Voted\u2019 stickers after casting their ballots for Mamdani at Lower East Side Preparatory High SchoolPhoto by Adam Daly<\/p>\n

Others who were excited to vote for Mamdani hope that his rise in popularity will continue to reshape city and national politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s influencing the whole American political system, which requires some inspiration,\u201d said Atif, an East Village resident who voted with his friend, Lisa. \u201cHe\u2019s pushing the whole Democratic Party to the left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lisa, who lives on the Lower East Side, said she supports Mamdani despite criticisms of his lack of experience and young age. \u201cHe seems like a smart person,\u201d she said. \u201cHe knows how to bring the right people in and make decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atif said he hopes Mamdani\u2019s election will shift national politics to the left.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tired of seeing the left in many different countries try to play to the center, and they become the center,\u201d he said. \u201cI think what we need to do is really push for the left politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if he doesn\u2019t win, he\u2019s changing the conversation,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n

\"ManMitchell Aberman proudly showcases his \u201cI Voted Early\u201d sticker after casting his ballot in the 2025 general election on the first day of early voting in Brooklyn on Oct. 25, 2025.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell \"PeoplePeople wait to cast their vote in the general election in Brooklyn on Oct. 25, 2025.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell \"peoplePeople were all smiles after early voting in Brooklyn on Oct. 25, 2025.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell<\/p>\n

\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Other Mamdani supporters could be found Saturday, casting their early votes in Brooklyn at Friends of Crown Heights.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI am looking forward to seeing what change Zohran brings to the table,\u201d said voter Jay Wu.\n<\/p>\n

Another voter, Kimberly Wong, said, \u201cI voted for Zohran. I think Cuomo is a monster. He stands for what I believe in, people deserve free buses and housing, I am mostly glad to see a candidate who breathes fresh air into the race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Nilka, one of the Lower East Side voters, said she\u2019s preparing for a change of scenery if Sliwa doesn\u2019t prevail, and Mamdani does.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s Mamdani, I\u2019m out of here like a bat out of hell,\u201d she said. \u201cStraight to Florida, or maybe Connecticut or New Jersey. Anywhere but here.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Yorkers flooded the polls on Saturday, turning out in record numbers for the first day of early…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":332619,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5122],"tags":[164961,5229,164962,164963,164964,164965,164966,164967,164968,164969,112113,164970,405,403,83379,5226,5225,5228,5227,164971,164972,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,164973],"class_list":{"0":"post-332618","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-affordability-politics","9":"tag-america","10":"tag-borough-turnout-surge","11":"tag-crime-and-safety-concerns","12":"tag-curtis-sliwa-support","13":"tag-democratic-socialist-momentum","14":"tag-early-voting-photos","15":"tag-guardian-angels-legacy","16":"tag-jeffries-endorsement","17":"tag-leftward-shift-in-democrats","18":"tag-mamdani-vs-cuomo","19":"tag-manhattan-leads-turnout","20":"tag-new-york","21":"tag-new-york-city","22":"tag-new-york-city-politics","23":"tag-newyork","24":"tag-newyorkcity","25":"tag-ny","26":"tag-nyc","27":"tag-party-switching-voters","28":"tag-record-early-voting","29":"tag-united-states","30":"tag-united-states-of-america","31":"tag-unitedstates","32":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","33":"tag-us","34":"tag-usa","35":"tag-voter-disillusionment"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/332619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}