On Saturday morning, a steady stream of voters turned out at an early voting site at Creedmoor, a psychiatric hospital in the New York City borough of Queens where Mamdani lives and Cuomo was born and raised.\n<\/p>\n
Deepa Paulus, a 28-year-old artist, was among a number of younger voters who cast their ballot for Mamdani, citing his pledge to tackle housing and other affordability issues in the high-cost city.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has a lot of really good ideas for the future of New York, and I feel very hopeful when I hear him talking,\u201d the registered Democrat said. \u201cI know it\u2019s hard to actually implement changes like that, but I\u2019m excited to see what he does.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has electrified liberal voters who are drawn to his proposals such as universal, free child care, free buses, and a rent freeze for New Yorkers living in about 1 million rent-regulated apartments.\n <\/p>\n
However Alix Mondesir, a 67-year-old retired lawyer, said he voted for Cuomo even as he conceded that the \u201cidealism of Mamdani spoke to my heart directly.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bottom line is we can\u2019t go on hopes. We have to go on someone that shows that they can handle the budget, that they\u2019ve been in the fire and that they\u2019ve survived,\u201d the registered Democrat said. \u201cI don\u2019t want a guy learning on the job. I want a guy with a proven track record.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
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\u00a0sexual harassment<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Cuomo has also assailed Mamdani, who would be the city\u2019s first Muslim mayor, over his criticism of Israel.\n<\/p>\n Mamdani, who has weathered\u00a0anti-Muslim rhetoric<\/a>\u00a0during the contest, says Israel\u2019s war in Gaza amounts to\u00a0genocide<\/a>. Cuomo and Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels public safety patrol group, equate Mamdani\u2019s position with\u00a0antisemitism<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n The New Jersey gubernatorial candidates, in their\u00a0final debate<\/a>\u00a0earlier this month, 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.\n<\/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\u00a0campaign finance board<\/a>. New Jersey adopted early voting in 2021.\n<\/p>\n Early voting is also underway in other states.\n<\/p>\n In Virginia, voters began casting early ballots on Sept. 19. The state\u2019s closely watched governor\u2019s race pits former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger<\/a>, a Democrat, and Republican Lt. Gov.\u00a0Winsome Earle-Sears<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n