Voter turnout in New York City’s 2025 mayoral election has surged to levels not seen in decades, highlighting the intensity of the race and the strong engagement from the electorate. As of 6 p.m. on Election Day, the New York City Board of Elections recorded approximately 1,748,698 check-ins, with additional absentee ballots suggesting the total may exceed two million votes.

Early voting also set new records, with the Board reporting 735,317 early-vote check-ins, a significant jump compared to the same period in 2021.

The race between progressive Democrat Zohran Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent) is being cited as a major factor in driving turnout. Analysts say Mamdani’s historic candidacy as the city’s potential first Muslim and South Asian mayor, along with a strong progressive message focused on affordability and reform, energized younger and immigrant‐voter blocs.

Despite the high raw turnout numbers, the share of registered voters may still fall short of historical highs. With about 4.95 million active registered voters in the city, the percentage is not expected to hit the 50 percent mark, a figure far below the 60 percent plus turnouts seen in earlier decades.

The elevated turnout comes as mayoral elections in New York, held in odd-numbered years, typically draw fewer voters than presidential or gubernatorial contests. The heightened engagement in 2025 underscores how this particular race has captured public interest and national attention.