New Yorkers will be able to pick up to five candidates in the upcoming mayoral primary on June 24, thanks to ranked choice voting.
Early voting starts on June 14 and runs through June 22.
This ranked choice voting system was first introduced in the 2021 mayoral election, so some voters may find it’s worth brushing up on how it works.
Voters are encouraged to rank their top five candidates based on preference.
What does this new voting method entail?
The voting process resembles an old school multi-select scantron sheet. Each race features a list of candidates, but now you’ll see a grid with bubbles next to each name, across five columns. Voters have to fill in one bubble for each voting slot.
However, you need to select different candidates; if you choose the same candidate for all five choices, it still only counts as a single vote.
This year’s election features a crowded field with eleven candidates in the Democratic mayoral primary, plus an additional candidate on the ballot.
How does ranked choice voting function?
The process starts by eliminating the candidates with the fewest votes in the first round. But here’s the twist: the votes for those eliminated candidates aren’t completely discarded. Instead, the election commission will tally up the second choices for voters who had those candidates as their top picks and redistribute them to the remaining candidates.
This process continues, with the candidate receiving the fewest votes being eliminated in each round until only two candidates remain, allowing voters to ultimately decide the winner.
Can you provide an example?
Imagine a Democratic primary with candidates like Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Robert Moses, and others. If Hamilton receives the fewest votes and gets eliminated, then his supporters’ votes will be transferred to their second choices.
If Burr can’t pull ahead in the next round, those votes will be reassigned again, and the process keeps repeating until one candidate stands tall.
Why should voters fill in all five slots?
New Yorkers have a long history of wanting to ensure a clear winner. In past elections, turning out to vote only for the top two candidates often led to low engagement. I think a system that enables further rounds of voting makes sense, as it helps prevent back-to-back elections if there’s no clear majority.
However, some critics worry this could confuse older voters who are more accustomed to traditional voting methods and may not fully grasp the changes.
When will the results be known?
New Yorkers might have to wait a bit to find out the final outcome of the primary. The Election Commission will release initial unofficial results on the night of the election, but final counts, particularly from subsequent rounds, won’t occur until July 1.
This caution stems from issues faced during the 2021 voting counts, which included major mix-ups. So, taking a little extra time seems prudent.
What key races are happening and who are the candidates?
The main event is the Democratic mayoral primary in November, where eleven candidates are vying for a chance to take on current Mayor Eric Adams, who is running in an independent capacity.
Candidates include former Governor Andrew Cuomo and state legislator Zoran Mamdani, among others.
In the Democratic Public Advocate race, incumbent Jumane Williams is competing against state legislator Jennifer Rajkumar and retired executive Marty Dolan.
Polls indicate Williams holds a strong lead currently, while the City Council race features heavy competition as well. It seems like a lot is at stake!
