STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Thousands of New Yorkers have already donated funds to help Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani prepare to take office.
On Friday, the transition committee announced that it had raised $517,947.30 from 7,028 donors less than 30 hours after it launched.
“I am extremely grateful to the thousands of working New Yorkers who have chipped in to fund our transition effort. Their support will allow us to hit the ground running to deliver on the affordability agenda we’ve been fighting for since day one,” said Mamdani.
The more than 7,000 donors thus far vastly exceed the 884 and 820 donors who contributed to the transition committees of Mayor Eric Adams and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, respectively.
Additionally, the committee noted that the average donation of roughly $73 is far less than Adams’ average donation of $1,219 and de Blasio’s average donation of $2,392.
“Over 7,000 donors who believe in Mayor-elect Mamdani and his vision for New York City have contributed to our transition committee. We’re especially proud to have an average donation amount of just $73, demonstrating the grassroots support behind the Mayor-elect’s bold affordability agenda,” said Elana Leopold, executive director of Mayor-elect Mamdani’s transition.
Funds raised by transition committees, formally known as Transition and Inauguration Entities, are used to fund candidate-elect’s transition or inauguration into office. Funds raised by the candidate’s previous campaign committee cannot be used for these purposes.
Transition costs include things like seeking and selecting city office staff, temporary office furniture and rent, payroll and consulting fees, phone bills and seminars related to city government and elected service, according to the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
Potential inauguration expenses may include catering, entertainment, payroll, invitations, rental fees, decorations, advertising, transportation and photography for the single permitted inauguration event.
Leopold will lead Mamdani’s all-female transition leadership team, which includes nonprofit leader Grace Bonilla, city budget and social service expert Melanie Hartzog, former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, and housing and economic development leader Maria Torres-Springer serving as transition co-chairs.
“From day one, our campaign was laser-focused on making this city affordable for working people. And on day one of my administration, with this talented transition team in place, we will be ready to make that vision a reality,” Mamdani said on Wednesday. “Our transition leaders will help build a City Hall committed to excellence, integrity and a hunger to solve old problems with new solutions.”
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