So, what do socialists and guardian angels have in common? They both show up twice in the upcoming New York City polls this November, well before voters even get to the complicated independent options involving current Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
According to preliminary voting data released on November 4th, Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa are positioned as the top Democratic and Republican candidates, respectively. Following them is a lesser-known Conservative candidate, Irene Estrada, and then, proudly, the socialist Mamdani as the representative of the Workers’ Family Party.
Sliwa, a self-proclaimed cat enthusiast who likes to don a beret, will be making a second appearance under his independent line focused on animal welfare.
Unfortunately for well-known names like Adams and Cuomo, they’ll find themselves buried further down the list.
Adams will have the last spot in the first line of candidates, alongside a throwaway box for his “safe and affordable” independent option. Cuomo, painted negatively in the Democratic primary by Mamdani, sits in the second row beneath Adams under the independent label “Battle and Delivery,” sandwiched between lesser-known figures like Jim Walden and Jose Hernandez.
It seems unlikely that the poorer demographics will bolster either Adams or Cuomo’s chances.
As for Adams’ reelection bid, hopes are growing dim. Recent polls suggest that his support is waning—he’s barely holding on to a few percentage points. After struggling to make a mark for months, he has now dropped his second campaign line, “Endinthemitism.”
A spokesperson for the city’s election commission noted the order of the candidates is governed by state law, stating that established party candidates always come first. Vincent Ignizio explained that the order for independent candidates is determined by when they filed their candidacies, adding, “He is the first independent listed because Curtis submitted it.”
The Board of Elections acknowledged the voting setup last week, and absentee ballots will begin mailing out this Friday.
