Mamdani declares victory in NYC mayoral primary election, Cuomo concedes

NEW YORK - Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has conceded in the New York City mayoral primary election as Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani decalred victory on Election Night.

In a speech to supporters, Mamdani said, "Tonight, we made history.""I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City," he said.

Cuomo, in a speech to supporters, said Mamdani "won" and that "we are going to take a look and make some decisions." "Tonight is his night," Cuomo said.

With 90% of votes counted, Mamdani had 43.5% of the first choice votes, compared to Cuomo's 36.3% of the votes. Mamdani has not officially secured the Democratic primary win.  New York City uses ranked choice voting in elections, and a candidate must have at least 50% of the votes to claim victory. 

When will the winner of the NYC primary be announced?  

This year, NYC will use ranked choice voting in primary and special elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president, and City Council; a system approved by voters in 2019.

Tonight, results will only show first-choice votes from early voting, in-person voting and processed absentee ballots, accounting for most of the votes. If a candidate is projected to win 50% of first-choice votes, then the Associated Press will declare a projected winner on Election Night. 

NYC ranked choice voting explained

How does the concept work? FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses has the story.

If no one gets a majority, the last-place candidate is eliminated, and those votes go to the next choice on each ballot. This process continues until two candidates remain; whoever has the most votes then wins.

If no candidate has 50% of first-choice votes, the Board of Elections will release an unofficial report on the preliminary elimination rounds on Tuesday, July 1. The BOE plans to certify the results on July 15.

Mamdani vs Cuomo

The backstory:

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and state Assembly member, gained momentum with endorsements from progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, focusing on the city's high cost of living. Cuomo, attempting a comeback after resigning amid a sexual harassment scandal, acknowledged Mamdani's victory despite his own strong political connections and fundraising. Mamdani's campaign, marked by energetic grassroots efforts, positions him as the city's potential first Muslim and Indian American mayor. 

What's next:

The primary winner will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the general election, reflecting the Democratic Party's ideological divide. And even if Cuomo officially loses the primary, there is a possibility that he runs on the November ballot as an independent candidate.

Who is Zohran Mamdani?

Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, holds a shaved ice during a campaign event in New York, US, on Monday, June 23, 2025. New Yorkers will head to the polls Tuesday to choose a Democratic candidate for mayor as a sweltering heat wave eng

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Dig deeper:

The 33-year-old from Queens is a self-declared democratic socialist known for his activism, including leading a hunger strike alongside taxi drivers.

Since his election to the New York State Assembly in 2020, Mamdani introduced the REPAIR Act to end significant property tax exemptions for Columbia University and NYU, aiming to redirect funds to the City University of New York (CUNY).

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City at age seven. According to the Associated Press, he became naturalized as an American citizen a few years after graduating from college, where he co-started his school’s first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. His mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.

Politics UNusual - One-on-one with Zohran Mamdani

On this episode of Politics UNusual, a one-on-one sit down with New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, a discussion with Andrew Rigie of the NYC Hospitality Alliance about the city's 'disastrous' outdoor dining program, and who qualifies for public matching funds in the NJ Governor's race.

Here's a closer look at Mamdani's stance on all the issues.