NYC mayoral race drew most voters since 1993 — even before polls closed

It was a big day in the Big Apple.

New York City’s paradigm-shifting mayoral election Tuesday drew the biggest turnout at least since 1969 — as some voters said this year’s race is one of the most important of their lifetimes.

The turnout was also bigger than the local election that unfolded in the hazy, fraught days after the 9/11 terror attacks.

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“This outcome is important. This election matters,” said Carlos Cueva, 42, a lifelong Astoria resident.

The contest between socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa had brought out at least 2 million voters as of Tuesday evening, the city’s Board of Elections announced as polls were about to close.

More New Yorkers already high-stakes race than any other local contest in 30 years.

Cuomo himself echoed the sentiments of many voters – including those who didn’t vote for him – as he cast his ballot at the High School of Art and Design on 56th Street in Manhattan.

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“I’m not a kid, but this is the most important election of my lifetime,” the 67-year-old former governor told reporters.

“This is going to determine the future of the city of New York. It may also determine the future of the Democratic Party,” he said, taking aim at Mamdani’s democratic socialist agenda.

More than 1 million people cast votes in person on Election Day alone — with another 850,000 opting for early voting and mail-in ballots, Board of Elections figures show.

An exact number of voters was not totaled as of Tuesday night. 

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The turnout eclipsed the 1.15 million people — including just over 250,000 early and mail-in ballots — who voted in the last mayoral election that vaulted Eric Adams into his one and only term in office.

The last time city voters flocked to the polls to this eye-popping degree, Mayor John Lindsay earned re-election to lead City Hall in 1969. 

About 2.5 million voters picked between Lindsay running on the Liberal Party, Democrat Mario Procaccino and Republican John Marchi in the last true three-way race before Tuesday.

While around 3 million voters were registered to vote in 1969, about 5 million voters are registered in 2025.

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While final breakdowns by borough weren’t revealed late Tuesday night, as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 572,000 had cast ballots in Brooklyn and 444,000 in Manhattan, including early voters, Board of Elections data shows.

Queens trailed behind with 421,000 while the Bronx tallied 187,000 and Staten Island 124,000, the data as of 6 p.m. show.

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Mamdani, Sliwa and Cuomo each voted first thing Tuesday — as did hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.

“I voted for Cuomo. I like him. He’s trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, keeping the legacy going,” Omar Edwards, a 46-year-old engineer, told The Post at a Brooklyn polling location.

Follow The Post’s live updates of Zohran Mamdani’s election as NYC mayor

“My mother voted for Zohran. I know nothing about the man. You want to defund the police, tax the rich – that’s the Z-man. That’s all I know about him.”

Meanwhile, Adrian Buckmaster, 70, and his 56-year-old partner, Irene Delgado, both backed Mamdani.

“Zohran is a breath of fresh air,” Buckmaster said. “I think he’s straight and honest. He walks the walk. I hope it works.”

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“If he gets in by a good margin, I think it’ll change how people see politics. It’ll give the right a big jolt. It’s telling how they are rallying against him,” he added.

Mamdani, 34, cast his ballot alongside his artist wife, Rama Duwaji, in Astoria’s Frank Sinatra High School.

He voted for himself on the Working Families Party ballot line – despite being the Democratic nominee and facing accusations that he’s not a true Dem.

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The front-runner spent the day repeating his campaign mantra of “affordability.”

“I think that New Yorkers are excited for a change,” he said. “They’re excited to bring an end to the era of rent hike after rent hike, buses that never come, looking for apartments in Jersey City since that’s the only place that’s affordable.”

In a last ditch effort to sway New Yorkers, Cuomo trashed Mamdani’s rhetoric and argued a ballot for Sliwa was a wasted vote – soon after President Trump threw his support behind the former governor on the eve of the election.

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“President Trump saying to the Republicans, ‘Don’t vote for Sliwa, you are wasting your vote,’ that could be very helpful,” Cuomo told Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

“President Trump is pragmatic. He is telling them the reality of the situation, which is if you do not vote, Mamdani is going to win. Republicans, you have to get up and come out and vote. Even if you are not voting Republican, you are voting to save New York City.

“It’s all B.S. It’s all campaign rhetoric,” Cuomo added of Mamdani’s promises.

Additional reporting by Georgett Roberts