What to expect at NYC mayoral debate
The three New York City mayoral candidates will be back on the debate stage on Wednesday night. FOX 5 NY’s Briella Tomassetti has a look at what to expect.
NEW YORK CITY – With Election Day in New York City just 13 days away, Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa will meet Wednesday night for the final time on the debate stage.
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The fiery first round last week saw sharp exchanges over affordability, crime, and President Donald Trump’s deepening role in city politics.Â
What time is the debate tonight?
The two-hour debate, hosted by Spectrum NY1, The City and WNYC/Gothamist, begins at 7 p.m.Â
NYC mayoral debate tonight: Who won the last one?
Dig deeper:
While no clear winner emerged, analysts say Mamdani held his lead by avoiding major missteps, Cuomo relied on his executive experience and Sliwa’s offbeat humor and streetwise anecdotes, including stories about his mafia run-ins, made him an unlikely social media favorite.
Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast, joined Good Day New York on Friday morning with his analysis of the debate.
When asked if anyone won, Max said there were no “game changers” from the debate, meaning “Zohran Mamdani, as the front-runner, had a pretty good debate because he didn’t make any huge gaff and nobody brought him down significantly.”
Max added: “But I did think, in the debate itself, if you just look at how it was debated, Curtis Sliwa had a pretty good night.”
When is Election Day in NYC?Â
What’s next:
Election Day 2025 is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 13 days away.
Timeline, key dates Wednesday, Oct. 22: The second mayoral debate.Saturday, Oct. 25: Application for voter registration must be received no later than Oct. 25.Saturday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 2: The early voting period. Early voting hours vary.Tuesday, Nov. 4: Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
You can check your registration status online here.
To find your local poll site, click here.
By the numbers:
Here’s a look at some of the latest polls in the race for NYC mayor:
A newly released report by Gotham Polling and the city AARP found 44.6% of New Yorkers would vote for Mamdani if Sliwa quit the race, compared to 40.7% saying they’d back Cuomo – with a margin of error of 4 points that puts Cuomo within striking distance.The latest Fox News poll shows Mamdani with a 24-point lead among registered voters in New York City. He’s at 52% support among likely voters, while Cuomo polls at 28% and Sliwa polls at 13%.Quinnipiac University has Mamdani with a 13-point lead in its latest poll, with Mamdani at 46% of the vote, while Cuomo and Sliwa poll at 33% and 15%, respectively. Betting odds
Some companies have begun taking what amounts to bets on the outcome of the NYC mayoral election.
Polymarket: The latest odds from Polymarket show Mamdani at a 93% chance of winning.Kalshi: The latest odds from Kalshi show Mamdani at a 91% chance of winning.Oddschecker: Mamdani is at -2000 to win. Where are the candidates today? Zohran Mamdani Mamdani has no public schedule. 
Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani smiles as he hosts “The Cost of Living Classic” soccer tournament of NYC Footy soccer league on October 19, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP
Andrew Cuomo Cuomo has no public schedule. 
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 16: Independent mayoral nominee, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to members of the media following a mayoral debate at Rockefeller Center on October 16, 2025 in New York City. The candidates for New York City mayor fac
Curtis Sliwa 8:30 a.m. – Sid & Friends in the Morning, WABC, live, phone. 
New York City Republican mayoral candidate and founder of the crime prevention organization “Guardian Angels” Curtis Sliwa leaves after attending the grand opening of the Bay Ridge campaign office in Brooklyn, New York City on October 11, 2025. (Phot
7 p.m. – Second mayoral debate, LaGuardia Community College in Queens.9:20 p.m. – Hannity, live from the debate location. How to track election results
What you can do:
Bookmark FOX 5 NY’s election results page to track results in real time when polls close on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Meet the candidates Curtis Sliwa – Republican 
The backstory:
Returning to the mayoral race after his 2021 defeat to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Curtis Sliwa brings his tough-on-crime message back to the Republican forefront. The Guardian Angels founder and outspoken radio host is banking on his core base in conservative outer-borough neighborhoods.
He has focused his campaign on public order and community-focused housing.Â
Andrew Cuomo – Independent 
After conceding defeat in the Democratic primary, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has officially qualified to run as an independent in the general election, staging a late comeback that could reshape the race. Cuomo is presenting himself as a steady hand with deep experience, seeking to appeal to moderates, independents and disaffected Democrats wary of both Mamdani’s progressivism and Sliwa’s conservatism.
He has focused his campaign on restoring public safety and affordability. Â He calls for adding 5,000 officers to the NYPD and increasing patrols in subways and retail corridors.Â
Zohran Mamdani – Democrat 
At 33, Zohran Mamdani stands out as a Democratic Socialist and a rising star in New York City politics. As a state assemblyman, Mamdani surged ahead on a fiercely progressive platform promising rent freezes, fare-free public transit, universal childcare, and an unprecedented push for public housing expansion.
His campaign is centered on housing, affordability and equity.
Election resources 2025 election for NYC mayor