Early voting in New York kicks off Saturday from Buffalo to Plattsburgh and all the way to Montauk. While it is considered an off-year election with no potential presidents or governors on the ballot, Democratic strategist Jack O’Donnell of O’Donnell and Associates joined Capital Tonight to discuss why it is important to get out and vote in your local races.
Those contests vary widely from the high-profile showdown for New York City mayor between Democratic state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo who is running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, to mayoral races in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and many other local offices.
O’Donnell also broke down how the outcome of races in New York City and across the state could potentially be an early forecast for next year’s midterm elections, and how the returns in New York City could inform whether U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik presses go on a gubernatorial bid against Gov. Kathy Hochul. Stefanik has said she will ultimately make her decision after Election Day following a summer of near constant broadsides against Hochul on social media and in interviews.
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