<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="http://9news.com.au/new-york" rel="" target="" title="New York City"><span>New York City</span></a><span> voters are choosing their next mayor, closing out an eventful </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/election" rel="" target="" title="campaign"><span>campaign</span></a><span> between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the months after Mamdani's surprise Democratic primary win, the 34-year-old democratic socialist has sought to grow his base and reassure voters wary of his criticisms of Israel's government and his past support for far-left policies such as defunding the police. His opponents, meanwhile, have revamped their campaigns to try to cut into the frontrunner's support.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Here are seven stories to get you up to speed on Tuesday's (Wednesday AEDT) election:</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-york-mayoral-race-zohran-mamdani-andrew-cuomo-curtis-sliwa-campaign/b65c9613-fca0-4fee-8dc6-be4586745329" rel="" target="" title="This mayoral race has captured the attention of millions worldwide"><strong><span>This mayoral race has captured the attention of millions worldwide</span></strong></a><strong><span> </span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>First, Andrew Cuomo's primary campaign collapsed</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cuomo entered the mayoral race as the frontrunner despite sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied, that forced him to resign from office in 2021. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the former governor relied on name recognition and donor support instead of building out an extensive ground game, leading to his surprise loss in the June Democratic primary to Mamdani.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/nyc-mayoral-election-zohran-mamdani-andrew-cuomo-curtis-sliwa--what-to-know-as-new-york-city-votes/5fa2b572-153b-4c6d-a0e5-bca5eb8787bc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Mamdani's historic expansion of the electorate, his tapping into the hunger for a leftward lurch and fresh voice, defied almost every poll and expert's expectation," </span><a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F06%2F29%2Fpolitics%2Fandrew-cuomo-new-york-mayor-zohran-mamdani&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cnomaan.merchant%40cnn.com%7C6d8d880571e24a20638708de1b0b7725%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638977933214778082%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=tK4URPBHkaHEXujJjvONLDJDzn5HoOIhyEJTx1TNuRc%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>CNN's Edward-Isaac Dovere reported</span></a><span>. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But all but a few involved with the Cuomo campaign acknowledge, at least privately, how much they did wrong."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Democratic socialists were emboldened and started talking primary challenges</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani's surprise win emboldened the democratic socialists in New York City, who warned they were </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/09/politics/hakeem-jeffries-zohran-mamdani-democrats-primaries" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>considering primary challenges</span></a><span> against five incumbent House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries' team nicknamed the potential challengers "Team Gentrification".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Mamdani pivoted from anti-police rhetoric</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Part of Mamdani's efforts to broaden his coalition has included </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/30/politics/zohran-mamdani-police-nypd-defund" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>reaching out to police officers</span></a><span> and stepping away from his past calls to defund the police. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The mayoral candidate met with off-duty police officers and held meetings on the proposals in his public safety agenda, which would overhaul the way the city approaches its most vulnerable residents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>The Republican with many cats</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New York City hasn't had a Republican mayor since Michael Bloomberg left office in 2013. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Republicans did not fully rally around their nominee: </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/14/politics/curtis-sliwa-nyc-mayoral-race" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>Sliwa</span></a><span>, a radio host, a founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group, and a famous fan of fostering cats. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sliwa has campaigned by riding the subway and running on a tough-on-crime platform. He argued that his longtime ties to the city might help him reach voters who are otherwise opposed to Republican candidates. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>To the end, he refused to withdraw from the race despite pressure from Cuomo and others who wanted to consolidate the anti-Mamdani opposition.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When they come up to me, they don't say, 'Oh, the Republican,'" Sliwa told CNN. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They don't see me as a politician. They see me as one of them, which is rare."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>The diverse street at the centre of the race</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Roosevelt Avenue, a diverse street in Queens that is also a hotspot for sex work, </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/25/politics/cuomo-mamdani-jackson-heights-nyc-mayoral-debate" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>became a focal point in the mayoral race</span></a><span> and debates over quality of life. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani's opponents criticised his support for decriminalising sex work, pointing to it as evidence that he is soft on crime. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cuomo also hoped to use the issue to reach South Asian and Muslim voters. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani has clarified that he doesn't support legalising sex work, but that he backs decriminalising the practice between consenting adults.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I do not think that we should be prosecuting women who are struggling, who are currently being thrown in jail," Mamdani said at a mayoral debate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Many Jewish voters felt they had bad options</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For many Jewish New Yorkers, the New York City mayoral election has become emotionally fraught. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/02/politics/zohran-mamdani-jewish-vote" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>Some voters who spoke with CNN</span></a><span> said they were reluctant to support Mamdani due to his pro-Palestinian activism and criticisms of Israel's government. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani sought to reach out to Jewish New Yorkers, but the most recent pre-election polls still showed Cuomo drawing about 55 per cent of the Jewish vote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>A different kind of potential first lady</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rama Duwaji, Mamdani's 28-year-old artist wife, </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/02/politics/rama-duwaji-mamdani-wife-nyc-election" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>carved her own path</span></a><span> ahead of potentially becoming New York City's next first lady. She was not a high-profile surrogate for the campaign. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Instead, her influence was felt behind the scenes and on social media, where she promoted her artwork focused on Middle Eastern women and the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em></em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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