Eric Adams, Kathryn Garcia lead two polls in NYC mayoral race

NEW YORK - As early primary voting continues, two new polls are showing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams in the lead, with Former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia not too far behind. 

"It's an important poll because it tells us where the relative standing of the candidates is now," Marist Poll Director Lee Meeringoff said.

As part of the first ranked-choice mayoral primary in the cities history, Meeringoff says his latest poll shows what might happen when candidates start getting eliminated and then, tallying voters’ second, third, fourth, and fifth choices.

"It was a complex questionnaire," said Meeringoff. 

Marist, in partnership with WNBC, Telemundo, and Politico had to ask 876 likely Democratic voters whom they supported up to five times. 

Right now,  Adams leads Garcia by seven points in this newest pole. Garcia sits second, attorney Maya Wiley in third and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang at fourth, which is the same order in the Manhattan Institute Poll. 

However, that survey found the race between Adams and Garcia is tighter, at 21% and 20% respectively.

Meeringoff stresses all polls are estimates. 

"You have a huge field of candidates, a questionable turnout," said Meeringoff.

But with one debate to go this Wednesday, Meeringoff expects the candidates will be competing for the second and third choice votes of those supporting their competitors.

 "How do I say that 'I'm the No. 1, I'm better than you folks but if you don't like me and you like someone else, let me be the second choice'?" said Meeringoff.