NYC primary election 2025 ultimate voter guide: Ranked choice explained

NEW YORK - Early voting is officially underway in New York City, kicking off a critical stretch in the primary election season. 

Find your nearest poll site here. Register to vote here.

June 14 is a triple deadline: it marks the first day of early voting, the last day to register to vote in the primary, and the final day to submit an absentee ballot application online.

June 22 is the last day of early voting.

June 24 is the primary election. 

This year, NYC will use ranked choice voting in primary and special elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president, and City Council; a system approved by voters in 2019.

See who is running for: Mayor | Borough president | District Attorney | City Comptroller | Public Advocate | City Council | Judicial

How does ranked choice voting work? 

In ranked choice voting, you can choose up to five candidates in order of preference.

Your first-choice vote is counted first.

If a candidate gets more than 50% of first-choice votes, they win.

If no one gets a majority, the last-place candidate is eliminated, and those votes go to the next choice on each ballot.

This process continues until two candidates remain; whoever has the most votes then wins.

How to fill out ranked choice sheet

You can rank up to five candidates, but you don’t have to rank all five.

Only rank candidates you support. Leave others blank.

You can vote for just one person if you want.

You can only pick one candidate per column (Choice 1, Choice 2, etc.).

Do not rank the same candidate more than once, it won’t help them.

Example:

1st choice is your top pick.

2nd choice is your backup.

Followed by your 3rd, 4th, and 5th choices (if you have them). 

When do the results come in?

Unofficial election night results will include only first-choice votes from early voting, in-person voting, and processed mail ballots.

Preliminary ranked choice tabulations will be released one week after election day.

Weekly updates will reflect additional ballot processing, including affidavits and cured ballots.

Final certification of election results will occur only after all ballots have been counted, including absentee, military, affidavit, early, and emergency ballots.

Who's running for mayor in NYC? 

Independent candidates like Mayor Eric Adams (incumbent) and Jim Walden are not on the primary ballot because New York City holds closed primaries, allowing only registered party members to vote and run in those contests.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams, 64, announced that he would run as an independent, forgoing the Democratic primary for mayor. 

Jim Walden, 59, a longtime NYC lawyer, is also running as an independent in the 2025 mayoral race.

Democrats running for mayor 

• Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 67, has focused his 2025 mayoral campaign on what he describes as a city in crisis.
• Zohran Mamdani , 33, is a self-declared socialist is focused on rent freezes, free bus rides, and no-cost childcare.
• Scott Stringer, 64, former NYC comptroller, is focused on transparency and good governance.
• Zellnor Myrie, 38, is a Brooklyn native focused on affordable housing and electoral reform.
• Whitney Tilson, 58, is an investor and lifelong Democrat who has emphasized the need for a city that is safe, affordable, and prosperous, criticizing career politicians for failing to address key issues.
• State Sen. Jessica Ramos, 39, announced that she would be running for NYC mayor amid calls for Eric Adams to resign.
• Brad Lander, 55, is the current NYC comptroller and a progressive who advocates for police reform, affordable housing, and better management of the migrant crisis.
• Adrienne Adams, 64, jumped in as a contender to enter the race, directly after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
• Michael Blake, 42, a former Bronx assemblyman and vice chair of the DNC, is known for his focus on economic equity and social justice.

Read here for more on the 2025 mayoral candidates.

Republicans running for mayor in NYC

Curtis Sliwa, 67, is a longtime New York City activist and founder of the Guardian Angels, a 1970s nonprofit known for its crime-fighting efforts and signature red berets.

Public advocate

What does the NYC public advocate do? 

The public advocate is essentially the city government’s main elected watchdog who serves in a non-voting capacity on the City Council. 

The NYC public advocate is first in the mayoral line of succession and incumbent Jumaane Williams is vying to hold on to his seat for his second and final four-year term.

Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, who represents Queens’ 38th district, and Marty Dolan, a retired insurance executive from the Bronx, are challenging Williams.

The winner of the Democratic primary for NYC public advocate is expected to run unchallenged in November.

See who is running for: Mayor | Borough president | District Attorney | City Comptroller | Public Advocate | City Council | Judicial

City comptroller

What does the city comptroller do?

The NYC comptroller serves as the city's chief financial officer and chief auditor. The office reviews the performance and spending of city agencies, oversees all city contracts, manages public pension funds, and handles the settlement of litigation claims.

There are four candidates who made the primary ballot:

• Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine
• City Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan
• Civil servant Ismael Malave
• State Sen. Kevin Parker

The winner of the primary will likely run unopposed in the general election.

Borough president

What does a borough president do?

A borough president reviews land use proposals and gives an advisory opinion that can influence City Council decisions. 

They also appoint community board members, shaping how neighborhoods grow and where resources go. It's a key role for setting local priorities.

Here are the candidates for each borough: 

The Bronx

• Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson (D) is running for re-election after first winning the seat in 2021.
• Challenging her in the Democratic primary is City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca (D), who chairs the Council’s Land Use Committee.

Brooklyn

• Antonio Reynoso (D) is running for re-election after first winning the Brooklyn borough president seat in 2021. He previously served on the City Council and has picked up endorsements from major unions, elected officials, and the Working Families Party.
• Khari Edwards (D), a corporate executive and community advocate, is running again after losing in 2021. He has not held elected office and is campaigning on education, job training, and gun violence prevention.
• Janine Acquafredda (R) is a real estate broker and the only Republican in the race, automatically advancing to the November ballot. She’s focused on public safety, homeownership, and defending drivers' rights in the city.

Manhattan

• There is no incumbent in the Manhattan borough president race as Mark Levine is running for comptroller.
• The Democratic candidates are State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, City Councilmember Keith Powers, and emergency medicine doctor Calvin Sun.
• Brad Hoylman-Sigal has served in Albany for 12 years and has passed over 350 bills. He holds endorsements from former Manhattan borough presidents, Manhattan Democratic Party leaders, Congressman Jerry Nadler, and the healthcare workers union 1199.
• Keith Powers is a term-limited City Councilmember focused on land use and affordable housing. He has raised slightly more campaign funds than Hoylman-Sigal and is endorsed by several members of Congress, union 32BJ, and the Teamsters.
• Calvin Sun is a doctor with no prior elected office experience. His campaign focuses on healthcare access, cost of living, and education, and he has raised significantly less money than the other two candidates.

Staten Island

• Staten Island voters will choose between two candidates running unopposed in their parties in the November general election.
• Republican Vito Fossella is the current Staten Island borough president. His tenure includes efforts to challenge congestion pricing and oppose voting rights for non-citizens in city elections. Fossella’s 2021 campaign was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. His campaign currently holds $77,304 with no public matching funds.
• Democrat Michael Colombo is focusing on affordable housing, better public transportation, and public health. Colombo emphasizes his working-class Staten Island roots over party politics. His campaign has raised $67,805 and has not received matching funds.

Queens

• Queens voters will decide between two candidates in the November general election since neither faces a primary challenge.
• Republican Henry "Ike" Ikezi works in real estate and focuses on job training, affordable housing, and increasing the NYPD presence for public safety. His campaign has raised over $15,000 but currently has under $1,000 available.
• Democrat Donovan Richards is the current Queens borough president. He has directed funding toward hospitals, affordable housing, clean energy, and nonprofits. Richards previously served on the City Council, where he led zoning and public safety committees.

See who is running for: Mayor | Borough president | District Attorney | City Comptroller | Public Advocate | City Council | Judicial

District Attorney race

Voters in Manhattan and Brooklyn will also soon be able to select their borough’s top prosecutor.

This will be a traditional one-vote election, not ranked choice voting. 

In Manhattan, incumbent Alvin Bragg faces challenger Patrick Timmins, a former Bronx prosecutor. Brooklyn’s incumbent DA Eric Gonzalez runs uncontested and will automatically appear on the November ballot. Queens, 

Staten Island and the Bronx will not hold DA elections until 2027.

NYC City Council races

All 51 City Council seats are up for grabs, including nine with term-limited members who can’t run again. 

Not sure who represents you in the City Council? Find out here.

Here are some of the key races in each borough. 

Brooklyn

• District 38 covers Sunset Park, Red Hook, and parts of Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst. Incumbent Alexa Avilés faces a moderate Democratic challenger, Ling Ye, and Republican Luis Quero in a district that shifted to more conservative after redistricting.
• District 39 includes Kensington, Borough Park, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront. Incumbent Shahana Hanif is in a tight race with Maya Kornberg amid debates over Israel and Gaza.
• District 47 covers Bay Ridge, Coney Island, and parts of Bath Beach. With term-limited Justin Brannan running for comptroller, Kayla Santosuosso is competing for the Democratic nomination against Fedir Usmanov. On the Republican side, Richie Barsamian faces George Sarantopoulos.
• District 48 includes Homecrest, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Incumbent Republican Inna Vernikov is challenged by Ari Kagan, a former Democrat who switched parties, in a contentious race between two former Soviet Union immigrants.

The Bronx

• District 8 covers East Harlem, Randall’s Island, and parts of the South Bronx. With term-limited Diana Ayala leaving, six candidates, including Exonerated Central Park 5 member Raymond Santana, are competing in a crowded Democratic primary.
• District 13 includes Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Bay, and nearby neighborhoods. Republican Kristy Marmorato narrowly won this politically mixed district in 2023, and seven Democrats are now vying to flip the seat.
• District 14 covers Kingsbridge, Fordham, University Heights, Mount Eden, and Mount Hope. Incumbent Pierina Sanchez faces two challengers, including her predecessor who held the seat from 2010 to 2021.

Manhattan

• District 1 covers Lower Manhattan from the Financial District to SoHo and the Lower East Side. Incumbent Christopher Marte faces three challengers, including lawyer Jess Coleman and former NYPD counterterrorism chief Elizabeth Lewinsohn.
• District 2 includes Greenwich Village, East Village, Midtown South, Gramercy, and Murray Hill. Ten candidates competing for the open seat vacated by Carlina Rivera include former Congressman Anthony Weiner, State Assembly member Harvey Epstein, and local government veterans Sarah Batchu and Andrea Gordillo.
• District 4 covers Stuyvesant Town, Midtown East, and the Upper East Side. With Keith Powers term-limited and running for borough president, six candidates, including nonprofit strategist Vanessa Aronson and attorney Faith Bondy are vying for the seat in a tight race.

Queens

• District 21 covering East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, LeFrak City, North Corona, and Willets Point. The race features deputy city council aide Erycka Montoya, district leader Yanna Henriquez, and community board member Shanel Thomas-Henry. Controversy surrounds former legislator Hiram Monserrate, disqualified under a law barring felons from running.
• District 28 covers Southeast Queens neighborhoods including South Ozone Park and Jamaica and are represented by term-limited Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. Her chief of staff, Tyrell "Ty" Hankerson, is vying for the seat. Other candidates include Latoya LeGrand, focusing on education and community services, former Councilmember Ruben Wills advocating criminal justice reform, and Japneet Singh, a top fundraiser and leader combating hate crimes in the South Asian community.
• District 30 covers Maspeth, Glendale, Middle Village, and Ridgewood, forming a politically mixed district where Republican Curtis Sliwa won the mayoral vote in 2021 despite a Democratic majority. Term-limited Councilmember Bob Holden has backed candidates on both sides: Phil Wong (D) and Alicia Vaichunas (R). Dermot Smyth, a former teacher and political strategist with strong union backing, is a leading Democratic candidate prioritizing education, workers’ rights, and public safety. Paul Pogozelski, a civic leader opposing the Interborough Express plan, is also in the race.

Staten Island

Staten Island has three City Council districts, but none are highly competitive this year. District 51 recently held a special election, won by Republican radio host Frank Morano, who now must win again in Nov. to secure a full term.

Judicial race

In June’s primary, voters in parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens will pick delegates for the judicial convention, which selects the New York Supreme Court nominees for November. 

Most judicial races aren’t competitive and won’t appear on the ballot. 

However, some voters will directly elect Civil Court judges, who handle tenant-landlord disputes and civil cases up to $50,000, serving 10-year terms.

Only five Civil Court races are contested this year.

Because judges are state court officials, these races don’t use ranked choice voting. 

Bronx voters pick one Civil Court judge; Brooklyn voters pick two; Queens voters pick multiple judges in different municipal districts.

Bronx – Civil Court Judge (vote for 1):

• Shekera Anessa Algarin
• George M. Santana

Brooklyn – Civil Court Judge (vote for 2):

• Janice Chen
• Marisa Arrabito
• Susan Liebman
• Janice P. Purvis

Queens – Civil Court Judge (vote for 1):

1st Municipal Court District (Astoria, Long Island City, Ravenswood, Queensbridge):

• Juliette-Noor Haji
• Thomas G. Wright Fernandez

2nd Municipal Court District (Sunnyside, Woodside, Sunnyside Gardens, Blissville, parts of Long Island City):

• Julie M. Milner
• Eve Cho Guillergan
• At-large Queens Civil Court Judge:
• John J. Ciafone
• Sheridan C. Chu

2025 election for NYC mayor