Controversy is already surfacing on election day, as New York City’s socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa are both appearing two times on the ballot, a routine practice in city elections.
Images of the ballot have been shared widely, revealing that Mamdani actually appears twice. First, he is listed as a Democratic candidate, followed by Sliwa and conservative candidate Irene Estrada. Then, Mamdani shows up again as a working families candidate, with Sliwa again appearing under the animal protection banner. Eric Adams is featured under the “Safe and Affordable” label, while Jim Walden is listed seventh in the “Honesty” party, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is found in the “Fight and Deliver” party. Joseph Hernandez is last on the ballot under the “Quality of Life” banner.
“The New York City ballot is a fraud!” Elon Musk remarked while sharing an image of it, pointing out that some other mayoral candidates are listed twice as well.
– No ID required
– Other mayoral candidates appear twice
– Mr. Cuomo’s name is in the bottom right
However, numerous people pointed out that it’s fairly common for names to appear multiple times on ballots with party authorization. Others noted that New York City has historically allowed candidates to receive multiple nominations from different political parties.
Some voters feel uneasy, particularly with Mr. Cuomo appearing just above the bottom on the far right of the ballot. But there’s an explanation for his positioning. According to Yahoo!, “Voting order is determined by the number of votes a political party received in the previous gubernatorial election, with independent candidates (like Mr. Cuomo) appearing after partisan candidates.”
The controversy unfolds as attention turns to Tuesday’s mayoral election. President Donald Trump made headlines by urging New York City voters to support Cuomo over Republican Sliwa, suggesting a vote for the Republican would effectively mean voting for socialist Mamdani.
Trump’s remarks began,
If communist candidate Zoran Mamdani were to win the New York City mayoral election, it is highly unlikely that I would contribute the bare minimum federal funds to my beloved first homeland. Because as communists, this once great city has no chance of success or even survival.
He added, “Things could get even worse if the communists take control. As president, I don’t want to send good money after bad. It is my duty to run the country, and it is my strong belief that if Mamdani were to win, New York City would be a complete and utter economic and social disaster.” Trump further stated that Mamdani’s socialist ideas “have been tested for over a thousand years and have never succeeded.”
“I would rather see a Democrat with a record of success win than a communist with no experience and a record of complete and utter failure,” he insisted. “He was a worthless lawmaker, at the bottom of the hierarchy, and as mayor of potentially the greatest city in the world, he had no chance of restoring this city to its former glory!” Trump continued by encouraging New Yorkers to support Cuomo.
“We must also remember this: a vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without a beret!) is a vote for Mamdani,” he added. “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really don’t have a choice. You have to vote for him and hope he does a great job. He can do that, Mamdani can’t!”
