New York [US], November 4 : New York City witnessed record-breaking voter enthusiasm during the latest election cycle, with more than 735,000 ballots cast during the nine days of early voting, Fox News reported.
According to the New York City Board of Elections, Sunday alone saw a historic turnout of 151,212 early voters, the highest single-day total ever recorded in the city's history. Officials said this marks the largest early voting turnout for a non-presidential election year and is nearly four times higher than the early vote count during the 2021 mayoral race.
Brooklyn led all boroughs in early voter turnout, followed by Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, according to Fox News. Political observers said the record-setting participation underscores the heightened engagement among New Yorkers this election cycle.
"It's also telling you the high level of voter interest," one analyst told Fox News, noting that this is the first time since 1969 that three major candidates have appeared on the ballot in a mayoral race.
Demographic data from the city's Board of Elections revealed that more than half of early voters are under the age of 55, indicating a generational shift that could benefit younger candidates such as Zohran Mamdani, who continues to lead in most polls.
Meena Bose, Professor of Presidential Studies at Hofstra University, said the early voting numbers signal "historic engagement" among the city's electorate. "We certainly see turnout is roughly two-thirds of what the total turnout was in June, so that's significant," Bose said.
"There is reporting that suggests total turnout on Election Day could approach 2 million. We haven't seen numbers like that for a mayoral race in more than 30 years," she added.
However, Bose cautioned against drawing conclusions too early, saying, "The early voter turnout certainly indicates enthusiasm, particularly over the weekend and in specific boroughs. But of course, Election Day is still to come. That's when the election will be decided."
Despite Mamdani's consistent double-digit lead over Andrew Cuomo in most polls, Bose warned against assuming a guaranteed outcome. "Polls attempt to be predictive, but they're not decisive," she said. "We've seen polls be completely wrong before. The fact that most still show one candidate ahead even if some have narrowed suggests momentum, but not a guarantee."
Commenting on voter demographics, Bose told Fox News that both younger and older voters will play crucial roles in determining the outcome. "We're seeing a lot of new voters, especially younger people who registered for the first time," she said.
"Older voters, 50, 60 and above, tend to vote more reliably, particularly in off-year elections. But there are still many undecided older voters, and what motivates them, whether it's housing, jobs, or safety, could be key."
With in-person voting underway, total turnout could approach 2 million ballots, a level not seen in decades. Whether the surge of younger voters reshapes New York's political landscape or older, more traditional voters decide the final result, analysts agree on one thing: New Yorkers are more energised than ever.
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