New York City is witnessing a historic surge in early voting, with more than 735,000 ballots already cast in the 2025 mayoral race — over four times the turnout recorded during the 2021 election cycle. Election officials reported that the final Sunday of early voting alone saw approximately 151,000 ballots submitted, marking one of the strongest single-day turnouts in the city’s modern political history.

The race has captured national attention, featuring Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani leading the field with 43% support, followed by independent candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo at 33%, and Republican contender Curtis Sliwa at 14%. The unusually high participation levels have been driven largely by newly registered voters, many of whom are younger and aligned with progressive causes, giving Mamdani’s campaign an early edge.

Observers note that this record-breaking turnout signals deep political engagement and growing polarization in the city’s electorate. Mamdani’s base — energized by promises of rent forgiveness, expanded welfare programs, and police budget cuts — has dominated early mobilization efforts. Cuomo, positioning himself as a centrist alternative, has appealed to moderate Democrats and independents disillusioned by the city’s hard-left drift. Meanwhile, Sliwa’s Republican campaign has focused on public safety, fiscal discipline, and opposition to “socialist governance.”

Political strategists see the massive early vote as a test case for how New York’s political identity is evolving in the post-pandemic era — whether it remains deeply progressive or shifts back toward pragmatism. The surge also highlights the stakes for federal policy: President Trump and national Republicans have warned that a Mamdani victory would make New York “ungovernable,” potentially straining relations with Washington over fiscal support and law enforcement funding.

With Election Day approaching, both the Cuomo and Sliwa campaigns are racing to close the gap, hoping that late-breaking voters — particularly in outer boroughs and business districts — will temper Mamdani’s early momentum. Still, with turnout levels this high and enthusiasm sharply divided, New York’s political future appears poised for one of its most consequential elections in decades.