Day one of early voting in New York City’s general election is over, and a whopping 79,409 people cast votes on Saturday, according to the New York City Board of Elections.
For comparison, just 15,418 people citywide took part in the first day of early voting in 2021, when the last mayoral election took place, according to the board.
This year’s first-day turnout in Manhattan alone far exceeded that total, at 24,046 early voters. So did Brooklyn and Queens, at 22,105 and 19,045 early voters respectively. The Bronx, meanwhile, tallied 7,793 early voters, and Staten Island counted 6,420.
New Yorkers are voting for the city’s next mayor, city comptroller, public advocate, and their borough presidents and city councilmembers, as well as some judges, depending on where they live. The Brooklyn and Manhattan district attorneys are on the ballot for voters in those boroughs.
Crown Heights resident Lizzie Leong was among the early voters at the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday.
"I think [Democratic nominee] Zohran [Mamdani] has really energized a lot of the public and people who don't, haven't participated in local elections in previous years until now, myself included," she said. "I've never actually voted for a mayor before."
Sandie Green, another Crown Heights resident who was at the museum to vote on Saturday, said she'd had trouble deciding whom to vote for, but hoped they'd be able to protect the city from President Donald Trump's attacks.
"It's a big half-and-half for me," she said. "I'm just praying to god that whoever I voted for, that they do help us in a way, even though they can't, you know, get rid of Trump. I hope they're able to keep us secure and safe."
Green declined to say whom she voted for.
Voters are also being asked to weigh in on six ballot questions. The first statewide question is related to state forest land, while questions two through five are about housing development in the city. The final one is about moving the city’s election cycle to even-numbered years to coincide with the presidential election.
Jeffrey Stein, a Prospect Heights resident and early voter on Saturday, said he was concerned about curbing the authority of city lawmakers.
"I ultimately voted no on two, three and four because I was skeptical of how ... it seems to be stripping power away from the City Council," he said.
New York City’s nine-day early voting period runs through Sunday, Nov. 2. You can find more information about who and what is on the ballot in Gothamist’s voter guide. You can also find your early voting site here.
New Jersey voters also made their way to the polls on Saturday to begin voting for who will succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy in this year’s race between Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
Ryan Kost contributed reporting.
