After a year of campaigning, speeches, emails, snail mail, punditry, media coverage, and head-scratching, the Five Boroughs are once again being asked to step up to the ballot box to decide who will lead its 8 million residents for the rest of the decade, what rules they will live by, and the overall direction the city will take.
The most talked-about mayoral campaign of the last generation is nearly over, and its impact crosses not only political lines but also racial and class divisions. While the 2021 race mainly focused on public safety in a city trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2025 race is all about affordability in a city where many can no longer afford the rent and where a lack of housing is squeezing families out.
Although elections are taking place nationwide, the entire country is watching what happens in New York City because so much is centered here economically, politically, and culturally, and as the largest city, it anchors America. This means it is being watched by other municipalities, and by a White House that has made clear how it wants the mayoral election to turn out.
But there are also races for Public Advocate, Comptroller, the presidencies of each of New York City’s boroughs, and numerous important city council campaigns in critical districts. AmNews is taking a look at these in this guide that will help our readers understand the races and make the best choices.
Mayor: Three major candidates are on the ballot, but there are other candidates whose names haven’t been in the news as much, and there are more running as write-ins. Mayor Eric Adams suspended his campaign on Sept. 28, leaving the three most well-known to compete.
Zohran K. Mamdani
Democratic
The 34-year-old state assemblyman who represents Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights surprised people in New York City and across the country when he won the Democratic nomination in the city’s primary earlier this year. His message of affordability — free bus fares, and opening city-run grocery stores resonated with much of the voting population, especially younger voters. But others, including President Trump, were alarmed at Mamdani’s socialist approach, not to mention the thinly-veiled bigotry toward him for being a foreign-born Muslim.
Since his primary win, Mamdani has led in the polls and gained support from multiple endorsers, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Comptroller Brad Lander (who is also part of his campaign), as well as others outside New York like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Several unions, including 1199 SEIU, the Communications Workers of America, and the United Federation of Teachers, also support him.
Andrew M. Cuomo
Independent
Prior to the June primary, Cuomo, 67, was expected to perform well if not win in the crowded field of Democrats running. Just a few years ago, he was popular, locally and nationally, for steering the state as governor through the pandemic. He enjoyed great approval ratings, but only up to a point. Allegations of sexual harassment, which he has consistently denied, and mismanagement of the spread of coronavirus in state nursing homes began to follow him until he was forced to resign in August 2021.
But in 2025, he emerged as a strong candidate with a platform of tax incentives to promote the building of affordable housing, placing the MTA under city control (it has been a state agency since its founding in 1968), and his Five-Borough Economic Transformation Capital Fund, a proposed $1.5 billion initiative aimed at spurring job growth across the city. Apparently, however, that hasn’t been enough to change the minds of likely voters so far. Polls continue to show him trailing Mamdani by double digits.
Curtis A. Sliwa
Republican
In his second run for mayor, the Guardian Angels founder, former radio host, and activist, has been vocal about his ability to run the city better than the other candidates. But it has not been enough to convince a largely Democratic-leaning voter population to support him. Unlike the bitter 2021 Republican primary fight in which he defeated businessman Fernando Mateo, he ran unopposed in 2025 for the nomination.
Sliwa, 71, has also faced repeated calls by Mamdani’s critics to drop out so the race could be more focused on defeating him, to which he has responded negatively. Instead, he has touted his own platform, which includes encouraging investments in the four boroughs outside Manhattan, hiring 7,000 police officers, and getting rid of the “City of Yes” zoning law passed in 2024, and instead giving control back to residents. However, with not much time left, Sliwa has a lot of ground to cover compared to the other two major candidates.
Joseph Hernandez
Quality of Life
The entrepreneur and founder of Blue Water Venture Partners says he wants to speed up affordable housing and provide more than 100,000 new housing units, hire 10,000 more police officers, and use AI to make city operations more efficient.
Irene Estrada
Conservative
Known as a community activist, Estrada has been a lifelong Democrat, having previously run for City Council and state assembly. She decided to run on the Conservative Party ticket, saying that Democrats had gone too far left on public safety issues. She is for repealing bail reform, and is also against the “City of Yes” law, but wants to advocate for tenants’ rights.
Public Advocate
Jumaane Williams (I)
Democratic
In the June primary, Williams took more than 71 percent of the vote to reclaim another term in office. The former city councilman from Flatbush, Brooklyn, bested challengers such as state assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar and financial adviser Marty Dolan. He has stood steadfast against the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy, successfully passed legislation to protect employees from employers retaliation, and a Persons Without Homes Bill of Rights, among other legislation.
Gonzalo Duran
Republican
Duran has been a critic of Mamdani’s throughout his campaign and is seeking to connect Republicans and conservatives in New York City. He is seeking better regulations for developers building housing, giving tax breaks to local businesses rather than corporations, and addressing “food deserts” by making it more difficult for fast food companies and easier for supermarkets to open up.
Martin W. Dolan
Unity
Like many Republicans, Dolan advocates no income tax on residents until age 26, restoring afterschool programs, and a plan for homeownership for families in NYCHA housing, along with better oversight of 20% of New York City’s budget outsourced to independent contractors. He also wants to eliminate the red tape that makes it harder to obtain permits.
Manhattan District Attorney
Manhattan District Attorney
Alvin Bragg (I)
Democratic
Although he is best known nationally for his prosecution of Donald Trump and winning a conviction in the Stormy Daniels case, Bragg has boasted successes such as a reduction in gun violence and other crimes, creating drug abuse and youth programs that encourage jobs and community service. But a continued emphasis on eliminating gun violence through measures like violence intervention remains a centerpiece of his platform
Maud Maron
Republican
The former Legal Aid Society Public Defender wants to crack down on recidivist offenders and end “revolving door” crime. She also wants to prosecute all crimes, including fare evasion and shoplifting, which is in opposition to Bragg’s “Day One Memo” which steps away from pursuing prosecution for low-level offenses. But like Mamdani, she also advocates for Mental Health and Public Safety Units.
Diana Florence
Safer Manhattan
A former Manhattan Assistant D.A., and lifelong Democrat now running on a different ticket, Florence says that Bragg is hiding real crime numbers and says repeat offenders are being set free to commit more crime. She also stands against the “Day One Memo” and says he is not doing enough to seek jail time for dangerous offenders. She says “blanket policies” on crime do not work and has pledged to end them.
Brooklyn District Attorney
Eric Gonzalez (I)
Democrat, Working Families
Gonzales is running unopposed in the 2025 Brooklyn D.A. race.
Borough President
Manhattan
Brad Holyman-Sigal
Democratic, Working Families
Seson Adams
Republican
Rolando Gomez
The Unity
Brooklyn
Antonio Reynoso (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Janine Acquafredda
Republican, Conservative
Queens
Donovan J Richards (I)
Democratic
Henry Ikezi
Republican, United Alliance
Bronx
Vanessa L. Gibson (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Grace Marrero
Republican, Conservative
Staten Island
Michael Thomas Colombo
Democratic
Vito J Fossella (I)
Republican
Select City Council Races
District 7
Shaun Abreu (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Jomo Williams
Republican
Edafe Okporo
West Side United
District 8
Elsie R Encarnacion
Democratic, Working Families
Tyreek Goodman
Republican, Conservative
Federico Colon
The Unity
District 10
Carmen N De La Rosa (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Louisa Flores
Republican
Francesca M Castellanos
The Unity
District 12
Kevin Riley (I)
Democratic
Franchie M. Muniz
Republican
James Washington-Ward
Conservative, United Alliance
District 16
Althea V. Stevens (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Emmanuel A Findlay
Republican, Conservative
District 35
Crystal Hudson (I)
Democratic, Working Families
Hector A Robertson
United Alliance
Benny Rosenberger
Conservative
District 41
Darlene Mealy (I)
Democratic
Yehuda Shaffer
The United Alliance Party
District 42
Chris Banks (I)
Democratic
Davon L. Phillips
Freedom
District 45
Farah N. Louis (I)
Democratic
Elijah Diaz
Republican, Conservative
Hatem El-Gamasy
Safe & Affordable
District 46
Mercedes Narcisse (I)
Democratic
Athena A Clarke
Republican
Dimple Willabus
Conservative
District 49
Kamillah M Hanks (I)
Democratic
John E Shea
Republican
Sarah Blas
Working Families, New North Shore
Ballot Proposals
Ballot Proposal 1: An amendment to the state constitution’s Forever Wild clause to allow for development on upstate forest preserve land to expand the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex, a 1,039-acre ski park at the base of Mount Van Hoevenberg in Essex County. About 2,500 acres of new forest land will be added to offset the lost land.
Ballot Proposal 2: Would change the city’s processes to “fast-track certain affordable housing projects” and speed up applications in 12 community districts that produce the least amount of affordable housing. It would keep the community board review and local borough president (BP) part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
Ballot Proposal 3: Would simplify the review process of “modest amounts” or “minor” infrastructure projects and climate resiliency projects through an Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP). The process would be shortened to about 90 days.
Ballot Proposal 4: This proposal establishes an Affordable Housing Appeals Board with the council speaker, local Borough President, and mayor. It would allow the three-member board to reverse the City Council’s decisions on affordable housing projects with a vote.
Ballot Proposal 5: Would digitize paper maps and create a borough map office at the Department of City Planning (DCP) by January 1, 2028.Ballot Proposal 6: A state constitutional amendment and a citywide referendum that moves the city’s primary and general election dates to even-numbered years to match up with federal presidential elections on the ballot.
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