Mamdani earns early approval, but most say city is 'on the wrong track': poll

NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has a positive job approval rating 100 days into his first term, according to a new poll, though a majority of voters say the city is headed in the wrong direction.

SKIP TO: CHILDCARE | HOUSING | PUBLIC SAFETY | BUDGET 

What we know:

The Emerson College Polling/PIX11 survey, released Thursday, found 43% of registered voters approve of Mamdani’s performance, while 27% disapprove. 

Another 30% said they feel neutral.

The poll comes just days after a Marist survey found that nearly half of New Yorkers approve of Mamdani, though his approval rating trails those of past mayors.

Support is stronger among those who participated in the November mayoral election.

By the numbers:

Among that group, 55% approve of Mamdani’s job performance and 29% disapprove, giving him a net positive rating of 26 points. Among those who did not vote, approval drops to 35%, with 26% disapproving.

Nearly 60% say NYC is on ‘the wrong track’

Dig deeper:

Despite the mayor’s early approval numbers, 59% of voters say New York City is on the wrong track, compared with 41% who believe it is headed in the right direction. A similar share, 59%, say Mamdani is focusing on issues important to them, while 41% say he is not.

Black and Hispanic voters 

Perceptions of the city’s direction vary by race. Majorities of Black voters (58%) and Hispanic voters (68%) say the city is on the wrong track. White voters are more divided, with 51% saying the city is headed in the right direction and 49% saying it is not.

Mamdani's childcare plan

On specific issues, voters give Mamdani his highest marks for handling childcare, with 54% approving and 21% disapproving. 

Housing, affordability

Nearly half, 49%, approve of his approach to housing affordability, compared with 25% who disapprove. 

Public safety

On public safety and policing, 45% approve and 32% disapprove.

Budget

Voters are more split on Mamdani’s handling of the city budget, with 40% approving and 37% disapproving.

Assessments of the local economy remain largely negative. Forty percent of respondents rate the city’s economy as poor, while 38% describe it as fair. Only 16% say it is good and 3% rate it as excellent.

NYC's budget gap 

When asked how the city should address its budget gap, 55% of voters say the state should raise taxes on the wealthy. Another 41% say the city should better manage its spending, while 4% support a 5% property tax increase.

Millionaire's tax

A majority of voters, 65%, support a so-called millionaire’s tax, while 20% oppose it and 15% are unsure. Support is higher among households earning less than $150,000 annually, where 68% back the tax and 14% oppose it. Among households earning more than $150,000, 56% support the measure and 42% oppose it.

On corporate taxes, 44% of voters say a 1% to 2% increase would not cause companies to leave New York City, while 30% say it would and 27% are unsure.

Mamdani's winter storm response 

Looking back at the winter storms of 2026, voters gave Mamdani mixed but generally positive grades for the city’s response. Twenty-nine percent awarded an "A," and 33% gave a "B." Smaller shares gave lower marks, with 18% assigning a "C," 9% a "D" and 11% an "F."

The poll surveyed 850 registered New York City voters from April 5-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.