On November 4, 2025, New York City made history by electing Zohran Mamdani as its next mayor, closing an extraordinary chapter in the city’s storied political life. The 34-year-old Democrat, born in Uganda to Indian immigrant parents, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo—who mounted a vigorous independent campaign after losing the Democratic primary—and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The contest, closely watched both locally and globally, drew a near-record turnout of 2,055,921 voters, according to the Associated Press and NBC News projections.
Mamdani’s victory was decisive: he secured 50.4% of the vote (1,036,051 ballots), while Cuomo garnered 41.6% (854,995), and Sliwa finished with 7.1% (146,137). The results, called by The Associated Press, reflected a city ready for change, and a candidate whose multicultural background and progressive platform resonated far beyond the city’s five boroughs. Notably, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams had initially entered the race as a third-party candidate but withdrew in the fall, though his name still appeared on the ballot.
In a city as diverse as New York, Mamdani’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Uganda, his family moved to South Africa when he was five, shortly after the end of apartheid. His mother, Mira Nair, is an Oscar-nominated director raised in New Delhi, while his father, Mahmood Mamdani, was born in Mumbai and is a prominent academic. This rich tapestry of influences shaped Mamdani’s worldview from a young age. As reported by NPR, Ugandan journalist Joseph Beyanga, who mentored Mamdani during his teenage years, recalled, “His questions were always about, this and this has happened. How does it affect the people? He was always in touch with the common man, so it's not anything new. It's just grown bigger and now he has it on a big stage.”
Mamdani’s campaign was built on a message of inclusion, social justice, and bold policy proposals. He is New York City’s first Muslim mayor, and, at 34, its youngest in over a century. His progressive credentials drew the attention of politicians across continents. In London, left-leaning observers compared him to Sadiq Khan, the city’s first Muslim mayor, though Mamdani is widely considered even further to the left politically. Zack Polanski, the U.K. Green Party leader, told Sky News, “I feel like I'm grinning from ear to ear. It just feels like a delightful moment where hope has triumphed.”
The international fascination with Mamdani’s win extended to Europe and Asia. French member of the European Parliament Manon Aubry even campaigned for him in New York, urging, “Vote for Zohran for a city you can afford.” According to NPR, Aubry was part of a delegation of left-wing European politicians who traveled to New York to study the secrets behind Mamdani’s surprising rise. In South Asia, his victory made headlines, especially given his deep roots in India and Uganda. Yet in India, reactions were mixed. Mamdani had previously called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “war criminal,” referencing the 2002 Gujarat riots—a stance that drew coolness from the ruling BJP but admiration from those who value India’s secular, multi-faith traditions. In his victory speech, Mamdani nodded to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, declaring, “A moment comes but rarely in history where we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance. And tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new.”
Back home, the electoral map told a story of shifting alliances and new coalitions. According to The New York Times’ precinct analysis, Mamdani outperformed his own primary numbers in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, notably flipping the Bronx, which had previously leaned toward Cuomo. In predominantly Black precincts, Mamdani won by an average margin of 26 points, and by 20 points in predominantly Hispanic areas. He also dominated among renters and public transit commuters—demographics at the heart of his campaign’s pitch for affordable housing and expanded transit access. Cuomo, in contrast, held sway in neighborhoods with higher homeownership rates and in precincts that had supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
“While Mamdani’s margin of victory over Cuomo was similar to his edge in the Democratic primary, he fared better in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods than he did in June, including flipping the Bronx,” noted chief political analyst Nate Cohn, as cited by The New York Times. The borough-by-borough breakdown showed Mamdani winning Brooklyn by 20 points, Manhattan by 10, Queens by 5, and the Bronx by 11. Staten Island, traditionally more conservative, went for Cuomo by a 33-point margin.
The contest, which featured three high-profile candidates, was not without drama. Former President Donald Trump, who was reported by the White House to have watched Mamdani’s victory speech, immediately criticized it as “very dangerous.” This reaction underscored the ideological divide between Mamdani’s progressive vision and the more centrist or conservative elements in city and national politics. Meanwhile, progressive leaders across the globe celebrated the result as a sign of shifting winds in urban politics, with some even speculating about a “Mamdani effect” spreading to other world capitals.
Yet, not all the city’s voters were on board with Mamdani’s agenda. The race’s close margins in several neighborhoods and Cuomo’s strong showing as an independent highlighted ongoing debates about the future of policing, housing, and economic development in New York. Curtis Sliwa, though finishing a distant third, continued to represent the city’s Republican base and its concerns about public safety and fiscal management.
Looking ahead, Mamdani’s mayoral term will officially begin at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026. He faces the daunting task of uniting a city with starkly different visions for its future. Supporters are hopeful his global perspective and activist background will help bridge divides, while critics—both within and outside the city—are watching closely to see if his ambitious promises can translate into effective governance.
For now, New York stands at a crossroads, having chosen a leader whose story is as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. The world is watching, and the next chapter begins soon.
