New York City Prepares for Ranked-Choice Mayoral Primary Election

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — New York City voters will participate in a Democratic primary for mayor on June 24, 2025, using ranked-choice voting. This follows a challenging debut of the system during the 2021 election that drew criticism due to delays and errors in vote counting.

This year’s primary includes 11 candidates, featuring former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, among others. The ranked-choice voting allows residents to rank up to five candidates, offering a broader selection in the electoral process.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the lowest-ranking candidates will be eliminated, and their votes will be redistributed based on voter preferences until only two candidates remain.

The New York City Board of Elections plans to report results from the Election Day ballots along with early voting and mail ballots received by June 20. A week later, preliminary ranked-choice results will be released, providing an initial leader after further tabulations.

Vincent Ignizio, deputy executive director of the Board of Elections, said they have implemented reforms to prevent past mistakes. He expressed confidence that the upcoming election will be fair and accurate.

Despite concerns about the potential confusion of the ranked-choice system, advocates claim it enables voters to express preferences without the need for a separate runoff election. Critics, however, argue it may disadvantage less informed voters.

The outcomes of numerous races will continue to shift as ballots are counted and verified, leading to updates every Tuesday until certification on July 15.