Politics & Government
New Yorkers Flock To Polls On Last Day Of Early Voting
Voters told THE CITY that public safety, affordability, and the ability to stand up to President Donald Trump drove their choices.
June 23, 2025
Neither rain nor an extreme heat warning could keep New Yorkers in the five boroughs away from polling stations Sunday, the final day of early voting ahead of the city’s June 24 primary.
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As of Saturday, the eighth day of early voting, 305,896 New Yorkers had cast their ballots, more than double the number of early voting check-ins during the same period in 2021, although turnout then was impacted by the COVID pandemic.
At the Rochdale Village Community Center in southeast Queens, voters came out for citywide races as well as a primary to replace their local City Council member, Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running for mayor.
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Lolette Williams, 72, a retired MTA bus driver who’s lived in the neighborhood since 1984, said she cast her ballot for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, declining to rank any of the other candidates.
Retired MTA bus driver and Queens resident Lolette Williams voted for Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, June 22, 2025. Credit: Katie Honan/THE CITY
“He was a good governor, and I figured I would give him a chance at mayor because I don’t think New York is going on the right track,” she said.
Her biggest issues were crime, housing and affordability, noting her concern that younger New Yorkers are unable to buy homes or rent affordably.
“People should have options in life,” Williams said.
Simone Yearwood, 59, came to the poll site with her NYC Votes guide showing how often she votes. Her first choice for mayor was for Speaker Adams: “Because it’s Adrienne Adams.”
“She’s in my district, I listened to her for years, followed her for years. I think she’s ready,” she said.
Yearwood’s second choice was Cuomo. “He’s done this before. He’s a voice,” she added, saying she felt the former governor could stand up to President Donald Trump and the sweeping changes sought by his federal government.
“They’re going to come after people deemed a threat to them,” said Yearwood, who works in higher education. “We need some strong people.”
The same pro-Cuomo sentiment was shared across the city in Manhattan’s Financial District where Charles Bernard, 68, and Laura Sauer, 57, both said they ranked Cuomo first because he could stand up to Trump.
“The others seem to be weak. We want someone who’s got kryptonite,” said Bernard, who runs a computer consulting company. “You need an almost-felon to beat a felon,” he added, referring to the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo.
Bernard said he ranked Brad Lander second, referring to the city comptroller as “the guy that just got arrested.”
At the Brooklyn Museum polling site, Chelsea Turner, who has lived in New York City for a decade, expressed an opposing view: “Anybody but Cuomo.”
Turner ranked Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani as her first choice, saying “any allegations of sexual misconduct should pretty much disqualify somebody from public service.”
Lower Manhattan resident Bernadith Russell, a lifelong New Yorker who said she’s never missed a vote in 40 years, also didn’t rank Cuomo.
Lower Manhattan voter Bernadith Russell didn’t rank former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, June 22, 2025. Credit: Samantha Maldonado/THE CITY
“I’m a Cuomo never,” Russell, a 57-year-old OB-GYN, said. “The fact that you’re well-connected and the fact that you’re a good administrator do not override the fact that you see women as chattel. That’s a deep-seated, foundational problem that I don’t think belongs in the government.”
She wanted someone with management experience, integrity, good judgment and decency, and said she did her research Sunday morning before hitting the polls.
“I picked this guy Michael Blake, which I felt eh about but ok,” Russell said. “I wasn’t thrilled with the candidate field.”
At the First Central Baptist Church in Stapleton, Staten Island, just down the street from an early-voting site, Mamdani spoke to parishioners Sunday morning.
Nearby, Mohamed Mohamed waited for his wife to finish voting.
Although he’s voted in other elections, this was the 62-year-old Uber driver’s first time voting in a mayoral election. He first learned of Mamdani through his support of ride-share drivers, and he ranked him first, with Lander second.
Staten Island voter Mohamed Mohamed ranked Zohran Mamdani first and Brad Lander second in the Democratic Primary, June 22, 2025. Credit: Katie Honan/THE CITY
“I feel like [Mamdani’s] sincere, he’s not funded by Uber or Lyft or any corporation. He’s funded by the New Yorkers and that makes him loyal to the New Yorkers,” he said.
“As a driver I’m looking for secure income, to not lose my job, I need peace, security — that’s what I need. To have found that in any candidate, I will vote for them.”
His 52-year-old wife Manal Alsakkaf, a hotel supervisor, also voted in her first mayoral race, casting her ballot for Mamdani. She wasn’t as concerned with corporate donations as her husband, but was inspired by the younger candidate.
Staten Island voter Manal Alsakkaf supported Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic Primary, June 22, 2025. Credit: Katie Honan/THE CITY
“He’s young, we need new blood. We need new people, new things, everything we have to change,” she said.
Early turnout through Saturday was higher across all five boroughs compared to 2021, with Brooklyn (52,624), Manhattan (49,734) and Queens (28,643) leading the way with about double 2021’s turnout. However, the two mayoral election years are imperfect to compare since, due to the pandemic, many voters cast their ballots in 2021 via mail-in voting instead of early, in-person voting.
Crime, Affordability and Trump Drive Voters
Voters old and new told THE CITY that crime and affordability were key issues driving their decisions, although there was no clear consensus on which candidate garnered their trust.
And Trump loomed large over voters’ minds, with many registered Democrats telling THE CITY that they wanted a mayor who could forcefully counter the president’s actions.
Nadine, 65, a retired city worker in Flatbush, Brooklyn who has voted in every election since she was 18, said her top priorities were Medicare, Social Security, immigration and housing. Adams, former state Assemblymember Michael Blake and Mamdani received her top votes, she said.
“He’s young,” Nadine said of Mamdani, “but at least he seems to be in tune with the community.”
Tyrone, another voter in Flatbush who declined to share his last name, said he ranked Adams as his first choice, then Mamdani, then Cuomo as his third.
“Our biggest issue right now is the things going on with this new administration, and protecting New York City. It seems like we’re under attack right now, so this is important for me,” he said, while also citing the cost of living as a concern.
“Actually advocate for us, that’s what I’m looking for in my politicians,” he added. “We deserve a quality of life, and New York is my place, so I ride for it wholeheartedly.”
Jorge and María Moreno came to the wrong polling site at the Bronx Supreme Court but were redirected to the correct one. First-time mayoral voters, they said they’re going with Cuomo.
“We never vote in the mayoral elections, only for the presidential. But we’re voting for Cuomo because we need more police in our community,” Maria said. “When he was governor everything was clean and we had police everywhere. Now everything’s dirty, and our neighborhood does not feel safe.”
Madeline, a new mother who brought her baby to the polls in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and declined to give her last name, knew she wanted to rank Mamdani and Lander — but was torn on who to put first. She declined to say who ultimately won her first choice vote, but stressed that she wanted to feel “protected against the worst that the Trump administration could throw at us.”
Affordability is also important to her: After having lived in the same apartment for six years, she was priced out right before she had her son. “I’m interested in creative new solutions to the same problems we’ve always had,” she said.
Still Undecided
New Yorkers who have not voted yet or made up their minds are not alone. In the 2021 primary, over 69% of ballots were cast on Primary Day itself.
Outside the Friendly Baptist Church in the South Bronx, Annmarie Reynolds, 59, told THE CITY that she is waiting until Tuesday to vote.
Annmarie Reynolds said outside the Friendly Baptist Church in the South Bronx she is waiting until primary day to vote, June 22, 2025. Credit: Alex Krales/THE CITY
“I’m still undecided, my children they’re young adults, and they’re really pushing me to vote for a specific candidate,” who she later identified as Mamdani.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I certainly like Mamdani and his ideas, but I worry if he can actually make them happen. And with Cuomo, I respect his experience, especially during COVID, though some might disagree.”
At a polling location on the Upper West Side, THE CITY spotted State Senator Brad Hoylman-Siegel (D-Manhattan), a candidate for Manhattan Borough President who said “I haven’t voted yet. I haven’t yet decided.”
Hoylman-Siegel, who has two colleagues running for mayor in State Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) and State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), said “like a lot of New Yorkers I’m still reviewing the last-minute pitches from candidates and the back and forth between the leading contenders.”
Early voting ends Sunday at 5 p.m., and polls will be closed Monday. Polls open again at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to hit 99 degrees.
Voters can find their voting locations here. Check carefully; poll sites for early voting and Primary Day voting often differ.
This press release was produced by The City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
