NYC election 2025: What voters need to know about six ballot proposals
When New Yorkers head to the polls next month, they’ll weigh in on more than just the mayor’s race — six ballot proposals will also shape the city’s future. The measures range from expanding affordable housing and simplifying zoning reviews to approving an Olympic sports complex upstate, giving voters a say on key development and infrastructure changes. FOX 5 NY’s Antoine Lewis has the details.
NEW YORK – New York City is less than a week away from Election Day, when voters will decide on key races, ballot measures and, of course, their next mayor.
Here’s a breakdown of every race and ballot proposition that will be featured.
JUMP TO: Important dates | Mayoral race | Public Advocate race | City Comptroller race | Borough-specific races | Ballot questions | How to vote | Sample ballot | Election results tracker
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, and early voting runs from Saturday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 2.
Early voting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 25: Workers take part in early voting at a polling center in the Manhattan borough of New York City on October 25, 2025. Early voting has begun for general elections, where New York City will select the next mayor, as wel
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. across the five boroughs.
Voters can confirm their polling place by visiting the New York City Board of Elections website.
2025 NYC races
Local perspective:
There are three races for citywide offices: New York City Mayor, Public Advocate and City Comptroller.
Although there are seemingly three main candidates in the race for mayor, additional names may appear on the ballot through minor parties or independent lines.
The candidates that will be featured on the ballot include:
Zohran Kwame Mamdani (Democratic line, Working Families line)Curtis A. Sliwa (Republican line, Protect Animals line)Irene Estrada (Conservative line)Eric L. Adams (Safe & Affordable / End Antisemitism line)Jim Walden (Integrity line)Andrew M. Cuomo (Fight and Deliver line)Joseph Hernandez (Quality of Life line)
There is also a blank section on the right, provided for voters who would prefer to write in a name.
New poll in the NYC mayoral race
With Election Day in New York City just 7 days away, a newly released poll is showing a tightening race between Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.
It’s important to note that New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Jim Walden are no longer officially running for the mayor’s office – both men dropped out after the deadline to do so, which means their names will appear on the ballots regardless.
The city’s Public Advocate is a member of the New York City Council who does not vote – instead, they introduce and co-sponsor bills in the council. The Public Advocate also oversees city agencies and investigates complaints from citizens made about city services.
There are three people running for the Public Advocate’s office, including incumbent Jumaane Williams:
Jumaane D. Williams (Democratic line, Working Families line)Gonzalo Duran (Republican line, Conservative line)Marty Dolan (The Unity line)
Similarly to the mayoral section, there is a blank section on the right, for voters who would prefer to write in a name.
The New York City comptroller serves as the city’s chief financial officer and auditor. The candidates are:
Mark D. Levine (Democratic line)Peter Kefalas (Republican line, Conservative line)Ismael Malave Perez (The Unity line)
Current City Comptroller Brad Lander is not running for reelection.
New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander speaks during a news conference outside of federal immigration court at the Ted Weiss Federal Building in the Manhattan borough of New York on June 5, 2025. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBA
Here, as well, there is a blank section on the right, for write-in candidates.
There are other local races that will be listed on New York City voters’ ballots as well. These races will be specific to the borough a voter resides in.
A “Vote NYC” sign points towards a polling station during early voting in the New York City mayoral election in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. Millions of dollars are pouring into the mayoral election with less than t
Borough President races
A Borough President serves as an advocate for their specific borough. This individual consults with the city’s mayor on the annual budget and advises on rezoning.
Each city borough has its own president – the candidates voters see listed on their individual ballot will reflect the borough they live in.
Brooklyn Borough President
There are two candidates listed for Brooklyn Borough President:
Antonio Reynoso (Democratic line, Working Families line)Janine Acquafredda (Republican line, Conservative line) 
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso will be running for reelection.
Manhattan Borough President
There are three candidates listed for Manhattan Borough President:
Brad Hoylman-Sigal (Democratic line, Working Families line)Seson Adams (Republican line)Rolando Gomez (The Unity line)
The current Manhattan Borough President is Mark Levine, who is now running for the City Comptroller’s office.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine speaks in Bowling Green Park in Manhattan, New York, on Aug. 23, 2022. Levine is the front-runner for the office of New York City comptroller. (Shawn Inglima/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty I
Queens Borough President
There are two candidates listed for Queens Borough President:
Donovan J. Richards (Democratic line)Henry Ikezi (Republican line, United Alliance line) 
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards is running for reelection.
Staten Island Borough President
There are two candidates listed for Staten Island Borough President:
Michael Thomas Colombo (Democratic line)Vito J. Fossella (Republican line)
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella is running for reelection.
Bronx Borough President
There are two candidates listed for Bronx Borough President:
Vanessa L. Gibson (Democratic line, Working Families line)Grace Marrero (Republican line, Conservative line)
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson is running for reelection.
City Council races
The New York City Council is the legislative branch of the city’s government.Â
Council members are primarily responsible for introducing and voting on bills. They also negotiate and approve the city’s budget, monitor city agencies and make decisions about land use.
New York City has 51 districts, and each district has one elected council member.
A full list of the individuals running for City Council can be read below:
District Attorney races
Each of the five boroughs has its own District Attorney, who serves as the top prosecutor of their respective borough.
Only one borough has a contested race for its District Attorney this election: Manhattan.
There are three candidates listed for Manhattan’s District Attorney:
Alvin L. Bragg Jr. (Democratic line, Working Families line)Maud Maron (Republican line, Conservative line)Diana J. Florence (A Safer Manhattan line) 
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a news conference about former Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault re-trial in New York on June 12, 2025. The judge in the Harvey Weinstein sex crimes retrial declar
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is running for reelection.
Other local races
A few other offices that could make an appearance on a voter’s ballot include delegates and alternate delegates to the judicial convention, County Committee and District Leaders.
To find a complete list of races on your specific ballot, including candidates, visit the Board of Elections’ Poll Site Locator and enter your address, then navigate to the “View Sample Ballot” at the top of the page.
Voters need to flip over their ballots to find six ballot proposals that cover a range of topics, from land use and affordable housing to when the city schedules its elections.
Proposition 1: Olympic Sports Complex Expansion (Essex County)
This proposal would allow the expansion of ski trails and related facilities at the Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County, located on state forest preserve land.Â
The site is 1,039 acres. To offset the development, the state must add 2,500 acres of new forest land in Adirondack Park.
“Yes” vote: Authorizes new ski trails and related facilities in the Adirondack forest preserve.”No” vote: Prevents this expansion from being authorized. Proposition 2: Fast-Track Affordable Housing Approval
This proposal would create two new processes to speed up approval of certain affordable housing projects, particularly in districts that have produced the least affordable housing.
“Yes” vote: Fast-tracks affordable housing applications at the Board of Standards and Appeals or City Planning Commission, while keeping Community Board review.”No” vote: Keeps the current, slower process where the City Council makes the final decision. Proposition 3: Simplify Review of Modest Housing & Infrastructure Projects
This proposal would streamline the land-use review process for smaller projects, such as adding modest amounts of housing or preparing for extreme weather, while keeping Community Board review.
“Yes” vote: Simplifies and speeds up review for modest housing and minor infrastructure projects, with the City Planning Commission making the final decision.”No” vote: Keeps the current, longer process with the City Council making the final decision. Proposition 4: Create Affordable Housing Appeals Board
This proposal would create a new Affordable Housing Appeals Board to review Council actions that reject or change affordable housing projects. The board would be made up of the Council Speaker, the local Borough President, and the mayor.
“Yes” vote: Establishes the three-member Appeals Board to provide multiple perspectives on affordable housing projects.”No” vote: Keeps the current system where the City Council and Mayor have the final say. Proposition 5: Create a Digital City Map
This proposal would make the Department of City Planning responsible for creating, maintaining and digitizing a single consolidated City Map. Currently, five separate map and address functions are managed by Borough Presidents.
“Yes” vote: Creates one consolidated, digital City Map to modernize city operations.”No” vote: Keeps the current system of separate borough-level maps. Proposition 6: Move Local Elections to Presidential Election Years
This proposal would move New York City’s local elections (mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough Presidents, and City Council) to the same year as federal presidential elections, though this requires a change in state law before it takes effect.
“Yes” vote: Moves City elections to presidential election years, when voter turnout is typically higher.”No” vote: Keeps City elections on the current cycle, separate from presidential elections.
City voters can vote in person, either in advance or on Election Day, or they can vote by mail.
Voting in-person
Voters can confirm their registration status, address and polling site through the Board of Elections’ Find My Poll Site tool.
Registered voters do not need to show ID to vote, unless they did not provide identification with their registration.
A dog waits as people take part in early voting at a polling center in the Manhattan borough of New York during early voting for the upcoming mayoral election, on October 27, 2025. The city’s soaring cost of living, perhaps more than any other issue,
First-time voters must provide identification either on or with their voter registration application.Â
Acceptable ID includes entering one of the following on your Voter Registration Application:
Driver’s license numberNon-driver’s ID numberLast four digits of your social security number
Other forms of documentation include:
Current and Valid Photo IDCurrent Utility BillBank StatementGovernment Check or PaycheckGovernment Document that shows Name and Address Voting by mail
Voters can apply for a mail or absentee ballot online, by mail or in person. The deadline to apply online or by mail is Oct. 25. The deadline to apply in person is Nov. 3, the day before Election Day.
Completed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 or dropped off by 9 p.m. on Election Day at any polling site or Board of Elections office.
New York City residents can click here to find their sample ballots – all you need is your house number, street name and zip code.
Check here to track election results in real time on Election Night. Polls close in New York state at 9 p.m.
You can also watch live Election Night coverage here or on our FOX LOCAL app, available for free on your phone and smart TV.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Board of Elections.