Over 445,000 voters in New York City participated in the elections despite sweltering heat on Tuesday.
By 6 PM, around 446,487 residents had cast their votes, and when combining these with early voting, the total turnout surged to an impressive 876,472.
During the busy hours between 3 PM and 6 PM, about 120,000 votes were recorded, with expectations for more to come as the polls remained open.
Election workers greeted long lines of voters, battling temperatures soaring close to 100 degrees, often with just paper fans and, in some cases, no air conditioning at all.
“If you’re going to help people, you’ve got to sweat a little,” remarked Queens voter Dian Rajami, highlighting high rent as his top concern.
Rajami, a supporter of Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, said, “I felt I had to vote.” Another voter, despite struggling with heat-related health issues, made her way to the Air Conditioned Russell Sage High School in Forest Hills.
“It’s horrifying. I had an asthma attack on my way to work,” said 48-year-old Jada. “But voting has been on my mind all day.”
Meanwhile, at the Taylor Weiss Community Center in Brooklyn, the indoor temperature hit 99 degrees, leaving both staff and voters uncomfortable in the absence of AC and limited water availability.
An unnamed election worker, 75 years old, shared, “You really shouldn’t be outside in this heat. We’ve been here since 5 AM, and it’s cooler outside.” Some election staff living nearby even fetched fans from home to help with the heat.
“It feels as hot as hell,” one poll worker quipped.
As the day wore on, city emergency management set up MTA buses outside the polling location, providing a respite for workers to cool off.
Earlier, at Frank Sinatra High School in Queens, the humidity caused some voting disruptions, leading to scanner issues. Coordinators managed to resolve the problems but admitted to feeling overwhelmed.
Candidates were visibly anxious as well, with Mamdani and City Director Brad Lander sharing a moment at the 72nd Street Metro Station after the elections. Both had previously opposed former governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani dismissed a recent poll showing him trailing behind Cuomo, stating, “We are exactly where we want to be.”
Lander described his partnership with Mamdani as “noteworthy,” asserting their aim to prevent Cuomo from returning to power. “We want to rise above the toxic politics of the past,” he said.
The primary’s outcome could determine how Lander’s votes split between Mamdani and Cuomo, especially with ranked choice voting a factor.
Before their partnership, Lander had leaned towards the former governor, but a recent poll indicated Mamdani had gained momentum.
State Attorney General Letitia James, a long-time adversary of Cuomo, condemned him during a Robocall on Primary Day, urging voters to avoid him. “When voting today, don’t rank Andrew Cuomo,” she encouraged.
C Cuomo, however, appeared confident casting his vote at the Art and Design School in Midtown East with his family. “It all comes down to today, and people need to vote,” he stated. He brushed off concerns about the heat, downplaying its severity.
“Is it a bit warm? Sure. But oppressively hot? I don’t think so,” he said.
Mamdani’s campaign garnered attention from younger voters and celebrities, including model Emily Ratajkowski. She drew awareness by wearing a “Zohran Hot Girls” t-shirt, catering to her 29 million Instagram followers.
Alongside Mamdani and Cuomo, several other races were also on the ballot, including the Public Advocate and Manhattan Borough President elections, as well as various city council primaries.
Final results for the ranked primary won’t be available until July 1, with only initial round votes being counted on the election day.
Notably absent from the main mayoral candidates was Mayor Eric Adams, a registered Democrat running for re-election on an independent line in the November general election.
The Democratic nominee will face off against Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and independent Jim Walden. Even if Cuomo and Mamdani fail to secure their Democratic nominations, they could still appear on general election ballots for different parties.
Adams voted at a polling station in Brooklyn on Tuesday and humorously claimed he wrote his name five times. “1, 2, 3, 4, 5 – Eric Adams,” he joked. “I’m looking forward to November.”
