The energy in New York City right now is, honestly, kind of electric. We just came off one of the most unpredictable political cycles in recent history. If you've been asking when is the election for nyc mayor, you might be catching the tail end of the 2025 fallout or looking ahead to the next cycle.
Basically, the big show—the general election—happened on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
It wasn't just another routine vote. This was the year Zohran Mamdani pulled off a major upset, becoming the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor in the city’s history. He’s also the youngest person to hold the office since 1892. Watching the results come in felt like a shift in the tectonic plates of New York politics.
The 2025 Calendar You Might Have Missed
If you’re trying to piece together how we got here, or if you're double-checking dates for historical reasons, the timeline was pretty tight. New York uses a two-stage process. First, the parties pick their champions in the primary, and then everyone squares off in the general.
- Primary Election Day: June 24, 2025.
- Early Voting (Primary): June 14 – June 22, 2025.
- General Election Day: November 4, 2025.
- Early Voting (General): October 25 – November 2, 2025.
Turnout was actually the highest it’s been since 1993. Over 2.2 million New Yorkers cast a ballot, which is about 43% of registered voters. That might sound low to people in other states, but for NYC, it’s a massive jump—mostly driven by younger voters and a very messy three-way race.
Why the 2025 Race Was So Weird
Most people expect a Democrat vs. Republican fight. In 2025, that script got shredded. Eric Adams, the incumbent, had a wild year. He originally planned to run as a Democrat, then switched to an independent line in April, and finally dropped out entirely in late September.
Then you had Andrew Cuomo.
After resigning as Governor in 2021, Cuomo tried for the ultimate comeback. He lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani but refused to go home. He ran in the general election under the "Fight and Deliver Party" banner. This created a rare three-man scramble:
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- Zohran Mamdani (Democrat/WFP): The winner with 50.8% of the vote.
- Andrew Cuomo (Independent): The runner-up with 41.3%.
- Curtis Sliwa (Republican): The Guardian Angels founder who pulled about 7%.
The "DREAM" campaign (Don’t Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor) really changed the math during the primary. New York uses Ranked Choice Voting for primaries, so if you didn't list a second or third choice, your ballot could "exhaust" before the final count.
When Is the Next NYC Mayoral Election?
Since Mamdani took office on January 1, 2026, the city is now on a standard four-year clock.
Unless something completely unexpected happens—like a resignation or a special election—the next time you’ll head to the polls to pick a mayor will be in 2029.
New York has strict term limits. A mayor can serve two consecutive four-year terms. After that, they have to sit out at least one full term before they can even think about running again. This rule is why we see such high-stakes battles every eight years, or whenever an incumbent is perceived as vulnerable.
Important Registration Deadlines to Remember
If you missed the boat in 2025, don't let it happen again. The deadlines are usually the same every year:
- You have to register about 10 days before an election to be eligible.
- For the 2025 general, the cutoff was October 25.
- If you're moving between boroughs, you've gotta update your address with the Board of Elections, or your poll site won't have you on the list.
It’s sorta easy to forget that local elections affect your daily life way more than the presidential ones. We're talking about trash collection, subway safety, and how much your rent might go up.
What to Do Now
Even though the big seat is filled, NYC politics never actually stops. There are always special elections or City Council races popping up.
- Check your registration status on the NYC Board of Elections website to make sure you're still active.
- Mark your calendar for June 2029 for the next primary. That's usually where the real decision is made in this city.
- Follow the City Council. Mayor Mamdani will be proposing his first major budget soon, and the Council is the only thing that can check his power.
Keep an eye on the news—the 2029 cycle will probably start "unofficially" by late 2027.