After a sweltering day at the polls, approximately 930,505 voters had cast their ballots by poll closure in the New York State Primaries on June 24 (latest numbers as of 7.30 p.m.), including 97,632 Bronxites, 272,884 Manhattanites, 336,387 Brooklynites, 193,881 voters in Queens and 29,721 voters on Staten Island.

 

Late on Tuesday night, Democratic top contender, Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York who had been endorsed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton among others, and who had been leading in many polls leading up to Election Day, conceded the mayoral race to Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (A.D. 36), a Democratic socialist, in a shock upset, as reported by The New York Times.

 

Earlier on Election Day, State Sen. Jessica Ramos (S.D. 13), a progressive Democrat and also a mayoral candidate, who, as reported, had shocked her supporters by backing Cuomo in the last weeks running up to Election Day but had not formally dropped out of the race, finally asked her supporters to vote for Cuomo.

 

“I’ve spent my entire career fighting for working people and my Black and Brown community,” she said. “Andrew Cuomo and I are on the ballot. Today, I urge the city I’ve helped build to make the right choice. @andrewcuomo is the only option to stand up to Donald Trump and keep our families safe.”

 

The following day, Ramos said, “Congratulations to Zohran on a successful campaign. While the outcome is different from what I had envisioned for New York, I recognize the incredible effort it takes to run such a powerful campaign. I respect the passion and conviction behind it and look forward to seeing how this vision takes shape.”

Mamdani, himself, said earlier on Election Day, “Hope is not naive when you have a vision and a movement behind it. Hope is, in fact, righteous. This is the dawn of a new era in New York City. And we will win it together.”

 

Later that night, after delivering a speech in Long Island City to his supporters, the assemblyman wrote, “In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it’s done. My friends, it is done and you are the ones who did it. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.”

 

Earlier, at the event, Mamdani, a Muslim immigrant born in Uganda and raised in New York City, said in part, “An hour ago, I spoke to Andrew Cuomo about the need to bring this city together as he called me to concede the race, and I want to thank Brad Lander, who did exactly that.” Lander, the city comptroller, fellow progressive Democrat, who is Jewish and also a mayoral candidate, and Mamdani had cross-endorsed each other before Election Day.

 

Having earlier conceded at a separate event. Lander later joined Mamdani at his victory party on stage as they raised their arms together in solidarity. “Hope and solidarity won tonight, and will win again in November,” Lander later wrote. “Congratulations @ZohranKMamdani.”

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Mamdani continued, “Together, we have shown the power of the politics of the future, one of partnership and of sincerity. Today, eight months after launching this campaign, with a vision of a city that every New Yorker could afford, we have won. We are the model for the Democratic Party, a Party where we fight for working people with no apology.”

 

He said a life of dignity should not be reserved for a fortunate few but should be one that City government guarantees for each and every New Yorker. The assemblyman said if his campaign had demonstrated anything to the world, it was that dreams could become reality. “Dreaming demands hope,” he said.

“And when I think of hope, I think of the unprecedented coalition of New Yorkers that we have built, but this, this is not my victory. This is ours. It is the victory of the Bangladeshi auntie who knocked on door after door until her feet throbbed and her knuckles ached. It is the victory of the 18-year-old who voted in their first ever election. It is the victory of the Gambian uncle who finally saw himself and his struggle in the campaign for the city that he calls home.”

 

He continued, “Dreaming demands solidarity and when I look out at this room and out onto the midnight skyline, that is what I see: canvass launches that continued in the pouring rain, children who called parents, strangers who care about those they will never meet, a New York that believes in each other and in itself. This is solidarity and defines our victory.”

 

For his part, during his concession speech, Cuomo said in part, “Tonight was not our night. Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night and he put together a great campaign and he touched young people. and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote and he really ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him, I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort and let’s give him a round of applause and thank him for his campaign.”

 

Back at the Mamdani victory event in Long Island City, Attorney General Tish James, who had ranked Mamdani third for mayor, after City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (first), Lander (second), as well as Brooklyn State Sen .Zellnor Myrie (fourth), introduced him to an ecstatic crowd.

 

“Tonight represents a resounding win,” she said. “His critics said that he should wait his turn. His critics said that he didn’t have the experience. His critics said that he didn’t have the right name. Well, now all of them know his God damn name!” Her words were met with cheers and chants of “Mamdani! Mamdani! Mamdani!”

Reacting to news of Mamdani’s win, former presidential candidate and Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont later said, “Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani and his thousands of grassroots supporters for their extraordinary campaign. You took on the political, economic and media Establishment – and you beat them. Now it’s on to victory in the general election.”

 

Meanwhile, NYC Mayor Eric Adams who, as reported, decided not to run in the Democratic mayoral primary, had earlier on Election Day announced he had voted for himself down the ballot in the election. He later wrote on Election Night from his campaign social media account, “This is it. The fight for New York’s future begins tonight. Join us — knock doors, make calls, chip in. We’re continuing to build a city that works for everyone. And we are not turning back.”

 

Reacting to Mamdani’s win, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote, “Today, voters made their voices heard, demanding a more affordable, more livable New York City. I hear them loud and clear. @ZohranKMamdani built a formidable grassroots coalition, and I look forward to speaking with him in the days ahead about his ideas on how to ensure a safe, affordable, and livable New York City.”

The governor’s tweet was shared by another Democratic socialist, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) who had endorsed Mamdani, and later wrote, “Congratulations @ZohranKMamdani! Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City, where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city. Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won.” The congresswoman seemingly arrived late to Queens on Election Night but was seen in a video posted to X apparently outside on a Queens street embracing Mamdani. 

 

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who recently announced he is challenging Hochul for the role of governor in 2026, said, “Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani on a bold and hard-fought campaign. His victory tonight is a testament to the power of connecting with the people, and speaking with clarity, conviction, and purpose.”

He added, “New Yorkers are sending a clear message: they want leaders who don’t just manage the status quo — they want leaders who will challenge it. I look forward to working with Zohran to make New York more affordable, more equitable, and more just — for everyone who calls it home.”

The reaction was not all positive. The chairman of the NYS Young Republicans Peter Giunta also issued a statement on what he referred to as the “Defund the Police Socialist Mamdani Primary victory,” writing, “Tonight, a proud defund the police socialist named Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor — and with him comes a tidal wave of anti-Semitic rhetoric and flawed economic views that will bankrupt New Yorkers.”

 

He continued, “Make no mistake — this isn’t just a left turn; it’s a hard swerve off a cliff. New York City is on the brink of being run by radicals who want to abolish the police and coddle extremists. We won’t stand for it, and the New York State Young Republicans are gearing up, speaking out, and fighting back — because this city and state belong to ALL New Yorkers.”

 

Norwood News had followed up on those past remarks by Mamdani on defunding the police during a campaign event with State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) who had endorsed Mamdani early in the race. Read about it in our story here.

 

Meanwhile, the American Jewish Committee New York said on Thursday, June 26, “New York City is home to nearly one million Jews. That thriving Jewish community is not monolithic in practice nor in political persuasion. American Jewish Committee (AJC) firmly believes that any mayor must be focused on the well-being of all the city’s residents.”

 

It continued, “In this challenging moment for the Jewish people amidst surging global antisemitism, many Jewish New Yorkers are rightly concerned about the dramatic rise of antisemitism in their city and the very real safety concerns that impact Jews daily. The next mayor of New York City must take those concerns seriously and must not contribute to an environment that accepts – or even worse, fosters – antisemitism. We will continue to confront rhetoric or actions of candidates or elected officials that are contrary to these obligations.”

 

Mamdani had previously addressed the criticism against him in terms of allegations of antisemitism, including from Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who is Jewish. Read his comments and Mamdani’s responses on the topic here and here. Dinowitz and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), as reported, were among those who had called for Cuomo to step down amid his sexual harassment scandal in 2021, which he eventually did, apologizing at the time but denying any intentional wrongdoing.

Attached are the initial, unofficial results after early voting and Election Day voting, following poll closure on Election Day, based on the relevant returned scanners.

 

These numbers are likely to change as more scanners are counted and mail-in and overseas ballots are also counted. Due to ranked choice voting, the true winners in each race may not be known for several weeks.

 

As above, Mamdani led the Democratic mayoral race with 43.76% of the vote on Election Night.

 

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams led the Democratic public advocate race with 70.99% of the vote. The New York Working Families Party issued the following statement congratulating Williams on winning his primary:

“Our Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams, is courageous,” the Party wrote. “He is principled; he is a champion of his native Brooklyn, and of our entire city, and tonight, he defeated the corrupt and compromised interests of past administrations to secure re-election.”

 

The statement continued, “Jumaane has been a force in the WFP for decades, and New York is all the better for his leadership. As Public Advocate, he has held the police accountable, championed tenant protections, and stood up for consumers against predatory corporations – and he has consistently stood up to our city’s worst billionaires and bad actors to protect our city. We all benefit from his fighting spirit, and NYWFP is so proud to have helped him secure a second term.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine led the Democratic city comptroller race with 48.17% of the vote. The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club congratulated all their endorsed candidates who won which included Levine and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, among others. They said Levine received his largest number of votes and widest margin in the 81st Assembly District, outperforming results from every other assembly district in The Bronx. The club had endorsed Cuomo for mayor.

 

“I’m incredibly thankful to the Ben Franklin Reform Democratic Club for their enthusiastic support and tireless organizing,” said Levine. “Their grassroots energy and commitment to progressive values played a vital role in our success in the 81st Assembly District. It’s an honor to have their trust as we work together to ensure fiscal responsibility and affordability for all New Yorkers.”

 

The New York Working Families Party released the following statement after City Council member Justin Brannan conceded the primary election for comptroller.

 

“Justin Brannan has been a true champion for working families, taking on the toughest fights against the worst actors in New York City to ensure our city keeps on running,” the Party wrote. “As finance chair on the City Council, he has held Eric Adams’s feet to the fire, securing funding for our schools and libraries and putting our city’s retirees and public sector workers first.”

 

The statement continued, “Make no mistake — this is a tough loss for our city. But we have no doubt Justin will continue to fight every day for our City. We are so honored that he is a part of the Working Families Party, and we are grateful for his leadership.”

Gibson led the Democratic borough president race with 68.87% of the vote. The borough president reportedly gathered with supporters at SoBro Garden in the South Bronx to celebrate her victory.

 

Her team said in part the win “positions her for a second term and is a testament of her ironclad support from local Democratic clubs, labor unions, statewide, citywide, and local elected leaders.”

 

They said her campaign highlighted “her collaborative leadership style, which is deeply rooted in the needs of the community and focused on building a Bronx where every family can not only get by, but get ahead.”

 

In her Election Night remarks, Gibson expressed deep gratitude and appreciation for her supporters for what she said was their diligence and unwavering commitment to the community. She also underscored that the work is not over, and that they must now work harder to uplift all Bronx families.

“This victory shows that the residents and voters of the Bronx feel connected and feel engaged,” said Gibson. “We won; and not only did we win, but we won big! I want to thank God for granting me this moment and the continued opportunity to serve the community I love so deeply. And I absolutely dedicate this to my mother.” As reported, Gibson’s mother, Phyllis Gibson, died last year.

 

She added, “To the people of the Bronx: I am honored by your trust. This is the work of progress. And we’re not done yet. My purpose is simple: to keep showing up, to keep empowering, to keep serving the people of the Bronx. I will always serve the hardworking single parent, the abuelitas, the entrepreneurs, the bodegueros, the nurses and teachers, the supermarket owners, the college students, and every working-class family in our borough.”

 

Interestingly, Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80) was seen campaigning in Riverdale on Election Day for and with Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11). The latter, along with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) and City Councilman Oswald Feliz (C.D. 15), had endorsed Gibson for borough president and the former had endorsed her rival, Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. (C.D. 17), for the role of BP.

 

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who endorsed Gibson and others, said on June 25, “We could not be more proud of Mark, Alvin, Vanessa, Carmen, Elsie and Shaun for winning their primaries and advancing to the general election. These dedicated public servants and community leaders have a long record of working for the communities of Northern Manhattan, The North West Bronx and West Side to improve New Yorkers’ quality of life, end homelessness and create affordable housing and provide opportunities for communities to thrive.”

 

He added, “We look forward to continuing working with them to support their victory in November so that they continue to work on behalf of Northern Manhattan, The North West Bronx and West Side residents and advance their bold and prosperous vision for New York City.”

 

Salamanca Jr. later said, “We didn’t win, but I’m proud of everything we built together. I’m still that Puerto Rican kid from the Bronx who shows up, works hard, and never stops fighting for home. This isn’t the end—just the next chapter. #PaLanteSiempre [#Onwards, Always].”

Elsie Encarnacion led the Democratic City Council District 8 race with 28.22% of the vote.

 

As above, Dinowitz, the incumbent, led the Democratic City Council District 11 race with 71.48% of the vote. Dinowitz declared victory on Election Night, saying, “I am honored by this resounding victory. It’s a true privilege to serve the community that raised me, and where my wife and I are raising our boys, to advocate and fight for my neighbors. Since taking office in 2021, we have delivered tens of millions for our schools, libraries, senior centers, and parks; protected tenants; made our streets safer and cleaner; and much more.”

 

He added, “This win was made possible with the support of so many people – my family, our campaign team and the over 100 volunteers who dedicated countless time and energy. I also want to thank my brothers and sisters in labor from UFT, DC37, 1199, NYSNA, 32BJ, Doctors Council, HTC, CSA, CWA, UFOA, Carpenters, and TWU; Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Congressmembers Espaillat and Torres, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson; State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey; Assemblymembers Jeffrey Dinowitz, George Alvarez and John Zaccaro; organizations like the NYLCV, Ben Franklin Reform Democratic Club, and Liberty Democratic Association.”

 

He concluded, “Finally, I want to thank the voters of the 11th Council District who made their voices heard today. Together, we’re building a better future for the Bronx and all of NYC – one with safer streets, stronger schools, support for our older adults, protections for vulnerable residents, and a government that works as hard as New Yorkers do. I’m eager to continue this important work.”

Incumbent City Councilman Kevin Riley (C.D. 12) led the Democratic City Council District 12 race with 76.49% of the vote, against former City Councilman for District 12, Andy King.

 

Shirley Aldebol led the Democratic City Council District 13 race with 29.97% of the vote. (The seat is currently held by Republican City Councilwoman Kristy Mamorato, the only Bronx Republican at the City Council.

 

Incumbent City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez (C.D. 14) led the Democratic City Council District 14 race with 66.08% of the vote.

 

The New York Working Families Party issued a statement following the initial results, congratulating Sanchez on winning her primary. The councilwoman ran on both the Democratic and New York Working Families Party tickets.

 

“Congratulations to Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez on winning her primary campaign!” the Party wrote. “Pierina has been a powerful champion for working families on the NYC City Council. Tonight, the Bronx showed that it is uninterested in the grim politics of the past — instead, it is looking forward, choosing a new generation of leadership that delivers for the Bronx, and chooses community and compassion every time.”

Incumbent City Councilwoman Althea Stevens (C.D. 16) led the Democratic City Council District 16 race with 71.24% of the vote.

 

Justin Sanchez led the Democratic City Council District 17 race with 39.9% of the vote. The incumbent councilman in District 17, Rafael Salamanca, is term-limited and ran for the Bronx borough presidency.

 

 

“The voters of the 81st showed their support for bold, inclusive leadership,” said Jeffrey Dinowitz. “Our district continues to lead the Bronx in turnout and civic engagement, thanks in no small part to the organizing power of the Ben Franklin Club.”

 

His words were echoed by Club President Virginia Krompinger and other members. “This was a true team effort,” said Krompinger. “Our endorsed candidates didn’t just win—they won big. We are immensely proud of the message our district sent and of the role the Ben Franklin Club played in shaping it.”

Peter Kefalas led the Republican mayoral race with 61.25% of the vote.

 

Joy Dacosta Fasciglione led the Republican County Committee 019/77 race with 66.67% of the vote.

 

There were seemingly no votes cast in the Conservative County Committee 002/77 race.

 

Anthony Fuscaldo and Naomy Rodriguez were tying with 43.75% of the vote each in the Republican County Committee 020/81 race.