{"id":22430,"date":"2025-10-30T12:14:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/22430\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T12:14:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:14:09","slug":"amny-2025-election-primer-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-nyc-mayors-race-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/22430\/","title":{"rendered":"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor\u2019s Race and more"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"711\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761826447_399_cuomo-mamdani-sliwa-combo-portee.jpg\" class=\"crop-center wp-post-image\" alt=\"NYC Mayor's Race headshots Cuomo Mamdani Sliwa\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"   title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 3\"\/>\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>NYC Mayoral Candidates Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa. <\/p>\n<p>Photos by Jonathan Portee<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/2025-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">2025 NYC mayor\u2019s race<\/a> is shaping up to be one of the most consequential elections in the city\u2019s history.\n<\/p>\n<p>The energy among voters is evident in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/early-voting-data-analysis-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">huge early voting turnout witnessed since the first ballots were cast on Saturday morning, Oct. 25.<\/a> As of Tuesday night, Oct. 28, the NYC Board of Elections reported just shy of 300,000 New Yorkers had already checked in to vote through four days of early voting. That number is exponentially higher than the turnout seen during the early voting period of the 2021 mayoral election, when just under 80,000 ballots were cast over the nine-day period.<\/p>\n<p>At the top of every voter\u2019s mind is the three-way battle between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, independent candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/mayors-race-poll-cuomo-mamdani-10272025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Recent polling data<\/a>, combined with the early voting turnout skewing older thus far, suggests a competitive contest between Mamdani and Cuomo as the hours tick down to Election Day, Nov. 4.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>amNY interviewed the next mayor<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/amny.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">amNewYork<\/a> has sought to inform the readers of their choices and provide them with a look at where each candidate stands on the major issues impacting the city, and the kind of leader that each mayoral hopeful hopes to be at City Hall over the next four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>amNewYork interviewed all three candidates in sit-down sessions that brought together a team of editors and reporters from this publication and other citywide outlets in Schneps Media, our parent company, to meet with the candidates individually. Ahead of each meeting, the team formulated a slate of questions on a variety of topics and the candidates\u2019 qualifications.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137804514\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761826447_26_BAV6260.jpg\" alt=\"zohran mamdani speaking with hand gestures\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 4\"  \/>Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran MamdaniPhoto by Jonathan Portee <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137803768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761826448_971_cuomo-092625.jpg\" alt=\"man wearing a suit and tie Andrew Cuomo\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 5\"  \/>Andrew Cuomo is running for NYC mayor in 2025.Photo by Jonathan Portee <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137803783\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761826448_311_BAV3419.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 6\"  \/>Republican mayoral nominee Curtis SliwaPhoto by Jonathan Portee<\/p>\n<p>The interview team included amNewYork\u2019s Editor-in-Chief Robert Pozarycki, Senior Political Reporter Ethan Stark-Miller, Transit Editor Barbara Russo-Lennon and Police Bureau Chief Dean Moses; Schneps Media Outside Editorial Director Richard Esposito and Chief Content Officer Bobby Hankinson; Brooklyn Editor-in-Chief Meaghan McGoldrick; Bronx Bureau Chief Lesley Cosme-Torres; and Reporters Shane O\u2019Brien, Florencia Arozarena and Jonathan Portee.<\/p>\n<p>Our interviews were conducted at neutral sites within Manhattan between Sept. 20 and Oct. 8. None of the candidates knew the questions in advance. To assure the most candid answers, the interviews were recorded for note-taking purposes only.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Read the interviews below:\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/zohran-mamdani-democrat-interview-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani says he\u2019s preparing to lead, but isn\u2019t taking anything for granted<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/curtis-sliwa-republican-interview-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa on crime, cats and a campaign he\u2019ll never quit<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/andrew-cuomo-independent-interview-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo leans on his experience in pursuit of political comeback<\/a><br \/>\nA closer look at the big issues<\/p>\n<p>In addition to publishing the stories about the interviews online and in print, we took a closer look at where each candidate stands on some of the biggest issues facing New York City today: affordability, crime, education, public transit and the future of Rikers Island.<\/p>\n<p>Some of our closer look stories are below:\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/nyc-transit\/nyc-mayors-race-transit-and-street-redesigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Where the candidates stand on street redesigns, bike and bus lanes, fare evasion and more<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/nyc-mayor-public-safety-nypd-adams-cuomo-mamdani-sliwa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Where do the mayoral candidates stand when it comes to public safety and improving the NYPD?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/quality-of-life-mamdani-adams-cuomo-sliwa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Where do the candidates stand on improving the city\u2019s quality of life?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/nyc-transit\/rideshare-protections-passengers-drivers-nyc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Candidates weigh in on rideshare protections for passengers, drivers and companies<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/nyc-mayors-race-rikers-island-future\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Where does the next NYC mayor stand on the future of Rikers Island?<\/a><br \/>\nBiggest campaign moments<\/p>\n<p>Since Labor Day, the 2025 NYC Mayor\u2019s Race has been marked by pivotal moments along the way. Here\u2019s a timeline of some of the race\u2019s biggest developments:<\/p>\n<p>Sept. 5: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/mayor-adams-keeps-re-election-bid-alive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mayor Adams, polling in single digits, vehemently refutes reports that he is mulling dropping out of the rac<\/a>e in favor of a job offer, possibly with the Trump administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sept. 15: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/hochul-mamdani-mayor-endorsement-pressure-schumer-jeffries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Gov. Kathy Hochul endorses Mamdani for mayor<\/a> in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/09\/14\/opinion\/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">op-ed published in The New York Times<\/a>. Days later, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins follow suit.<\/p>\n<p>Sept. 28: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/eric-adams-quits-mayor-re-election-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mayor Adams announces he is ending his bid for a second term<\/a> amid sagging poll numbers and a lack of financing. He would later endorse Cuomo as his successor.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 2: Mamdani announces that he will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/mamdani-gifted-and-talented-program-cuomo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">eliminate gifted and talented education programs for children age five and younger<\/a> if elected.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 2: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/cuomo-scrap-rikers-island-closure-plan-jails\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cuomo changes his stance on Rikers Island\u2019s future<\/a>, and says he now favors keeping the correctional facility open, but renovated \u2014 and converting the proposed community-based jail sites into affordable housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 9: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/cuomo-gains-mamdani-quinnipiac-poll-october-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cuomo\u2019s support increases in the first poll taken since Adams\u2019 departure from the race<\/a>, though he still trails Mamdani at this point by double digits.<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 13: The last living Israeli hostages are released after more than two years of Hamas captivity. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/mamdani-silent-israeli-hostages-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mamdani issues a statement<\/a> that, while applauding the development, is critical of both Israel and Palestine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 22: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/sliwa-quits-wabc-job-mayors-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sliwa suddenly quits his job at WABC radio on the air<\/a> during an interview after increasing pressure from various parties, including the station\u2019s owner, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/billionaire-john-catsimatidis-sliwa-withdraw-mayoral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">John Catsimatidis,<\/a> to quit the race.<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 22: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/news\/nyc-mayors-race-fiery-final-debate-sees-mamdani-duck-ballot-questions-while-trading-blows-with-cuomo-and-sliwa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">At the second and final debate, Mamdani hears jeers from his opponents<\/a> when he fails to take a stand on a number of controversial ballot questions.<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 24: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/politics\/nyc-mayors-race-mamdani-islamophobia-cuomo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mamdani delivers a passionate speech about Islamophobia<\/a> in response to attack ads and heated rhetoric; Cuomo responds that the candidate is pretending to be a victim.<\/p>\n<p>How to vote<\/p>\n<p>To find your early voting site or Election Day polling place, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/vote.nyc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">vote.nyc<\/a>. The mayoral race will be at the top of the 1- or 2-page paper ballot you\u2019ll receive when you vote. Don\u2019t forget to flip the ballots to vote on other important races, including six different ballot questions.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a sample of how the paper ballot will appear in Manhattan.\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137807097\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/manhattan-ballot-1_page-0001.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"513\" height=\"1200\" title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 7\"  \/>\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137807096\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/manhattan-ballot-2_page-0001.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"513\" height=\"1200\" title=\"amNY 2025 ELECTION PRIMER: What you need to know about the NYC Mayor's Race and more 8\"  \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NYC Mayoral Candidates Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa. Photos by Jonathan Portee The 2025 NYC mayor\u2019s&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1018,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[107,14870,8970,80,14871,14872,154,12252,12018,14873,14874,9,56,63,65,64,14875,14876,14877,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-22430","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-2025-nyc-mayors-race","9":"tag-affordability-and-housing","10":"tag-amnewyork-interviews","11":"tag-andrew-cuomo","12":"tag-crime-and-policing","13":"tag-cuomo-comeback-bid","14":"tag-curtis-sliwa","15":"tag-early-voting-surge","16":"tag-education-reform","17":"tag-high-stakes-election","18":"tag-mamdani-campaign-strategy","19":"tag-new-york","20":"tag-ny","21":"tag-nyc","22":"tag-nyc-headlines","23":"tag-nyc-news","24":"tag-public-transit-policy","25":"tag-rikers-island-debate","26":"tag-voter-turnout-nyc","27":"tag-zohran-mamdani"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22430\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}