NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Polling places open Saturday for the start of in-person voting for two of the year\u2019s most closely watched elections: The New York City mayor\u2019s race and the contest to pick New Jersey\u2019s next governor.<\/p>\n
New Yorkers are choosing between Democrat Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat on the ballot as an independent. The incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, is also on the ballot but dropped out of the race<\/a> last month and recently threw his support<\/a> behind Cuomo.<\/p>\n The New Jersey governor\u2019s race<\/a> features Republican state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.<\/p>\n New York has allowed early voting since 2019, and it has become relatively popular. In June\u2019s mayoral primary, about 35% of the ballots were cast early and in person, according to the city\u2019s campaign finance board<\/a>. <\/p>\n New Jersey adopted early voting in 2021.<\/p>\n The off-year elections in neighboring states could be bellwethers for Democratic Party leaders as they try to decide what kinds of candidates might be best to lead their resistance to Republican President Donald Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has electrified liberal voters, drawn to his proposals for universal, free child care, free buses, and a rent freeze for New Yorkers living in about 1 million rent-regulated apartments. Cuomo has portrayed Mamdani\u2019s policies as naive and financially irresponsible. He has appealed to voters to pick him because of his experience as the state\u2019s governor, a position he gave up in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.<\/p>\n Cuomo has also assailed Mamdani, who would be the city\u2019s first Muslim mayor, over his criticism of Israel. Mamdani says Israel\u2019s military actions in Gaza have amounted to genocide. Cuomo and Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels public safety patrol group, equate Mamdani\u2019s position with antisemitism.<\/p>\n The New Jersey gubernatorial candidates, in their final debate earlier this month<\/a>, sparred over the federal government shutdown, Sherrill\u2019s military records, Trump\u2019s policies and the high cost of living in the state. The winner would succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is term-limited. <\/p>\n Early voting is already underway in other states. <\/p>\n It began on Sept. 19 in Virginia, where voters in the governor\u2019s race are choosing between former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger<\/a>, a Democrat, and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears<\/a>. One of those candidates will become Virginia\u2019s first female governor. They clashed over cultural issues such as the rights of transgender children<\/a> in sports and school bathrooms during their lone debate earlier this month.<\/p>\n Early voting runs through Nov. 1 in Virginia and Nov. 2 in New York City and New Jersey. Polling sites in all three states will then open widely for Election Day on Nov. 4. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n