Web desk: New York City is ready to elect a new Mayor today, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, as the mayoral race reaches its final stage.
Indian-descent politician Zohran Kwame Mamdani has emerged as the front-runner for the top post in America’s largest city.
Mamdani Hot Favourite
Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat and self-declared socialist, has drawn national attention as he seeks to take City Hall.
The race has become one of the most closely watched political contests in the country. The stakes are so high that President Donald Trump has now fully supported efforts to defeat Mamdani after months of mixed statements, reports say.
Mamdani is an American politician and democratic socialist who serves as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th District in Queens.
The 34-year-old was born in Uganda and raised in New York City. He is the Democratic nominee in the election and is running against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
In a recent emotional speech, Mamdani defended his Muslim identity, calling attacks against him “racist and baseless.”
Polling Begins in New York
Current Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race in September after his administration faced several scandals. Election Day is November 4, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Early voting began on October 25 and ended on Sunday. The Board of Elections said that more than 735,000 people voted early this year. That is four times more than in the 2021 election.
Mamdani defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June to become the party’s official nominee.
He has promised to “lower costs and make life easier” for New Yorkers, saying the city has become “too expensive.”
His key plans include freezing rent for all stabilised tenants, building more housing, and making city buses free and faster with new priority lanes and better traffic management.
He also promises free childcare for all children aged six weeks to five years and plans to open city-owned grocery stores to keep food prices low.
His campaign says he has a clear plan to pay for all these proposals.
Trump Threatens to Stop NY Funding if Mamdani Elected
President Donald Trump has strongly criticised Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and threatening to withhold federal funding from New York City if he wins.
Trump has endorsed Andrew Cuomo instead. In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote: “If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!”
In a CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, Trump said Mamdani “will do a worse job” than former Mayor Bill de Blasio. “And it’s gonna be hard for me as the President to give a lot of money to New York. Because if you have a Communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there,” he added.
The New York Times reported that former President Barack Obama called Mamdani on Saturday, praising his campaign as “impressive to watch.” Obama also offered to be a “sounding board” if Mamdani wins.
On Saturday, a group called “Hindus for Mamdani” held a prayer event in the city, offering “blessings for Zohran’s protection and strength ahead of Election Day.”
