Election officials try to get Sliwa to remove coat to vote

Election officials hassle Curtis Sliwa at polling station

Election officials gave Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa problems when he tried to vote for himself for mayor at his Upper West Side polling station on election day 2021 in New York City.

NEW YORK - Election officials had issues with two things that Curtis Sliwa did at his polling station. They gave in on one thing but refused on the other.

First, the thing that they didn't allow him to do at his Upper West Side voting location. The Republican candidate showed up with his cat named Gizmo. Sliwa was told by Board of Election officials he could not vote with the cat. He left the cat outside.

The second item was hit signature red campaign windbreaker. It had Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor printed on it. The same Board of Election officials said he could not wear the jacket inside the polling station.

He refused to take it off even though New York law bans anyone from wearing or displaying items that display the name of a candidate or political party at a voting location. The officials eventually relented and Sliwa voted while wearing it.

Sliwa and Adams vote

Curtis Sliwa showed up to his polling station with his cat. Eric Adams came to his voting site with a photo of his late mother.

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To add to his problems, the ballot machine became jammed as Sliwa went to vote, forcing election officials to step in and fix it.

Finally, Sliwa's ballot was retrieved and he successfully voted after over an hour.

"As you could see, they couldn't have been any more hostile," Sliwa said outside after voting.

Sliwa was still wearing a sling after injuring his arm after being hit by a cab during the final days of campaigning.

Emotional Adams, Sliwa with cat cast ballots

New York City voters are heading to the polls to make a choice between Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa.