Day 1 of early voting in NYC mayor’s race draws tens of thousands of New Yorkers to the polls

Voters in New York City hit the polls Saturday as early voting got underway.

According to unofficial, preliminary numbers from the Board of Elections, nearly 80,000 voters checked in across all five boroughs.

More than 24,000 people cast their votes in Manhattan, followed by Brooklyn with just over 22,000, Queens with just over 19,000, the Bronx with nearly 8,000 and Staten Island with just under 6,500.

“‘Cause I don’t want the machines to be down on Election Day, so I get out here early,” Bronx voter Terri H. said.

NYC mayoral election is make or break for some voters

Voters who spoke to CBS News New York said issues of concern are affordability, immigration, schools, homelessness, crime and policing.

For some early voters, this election is make or break. They say if the candidate they voted for doesn’t win, they may have no choice but to move out of the city.

“I have like five friends that already left New York because they couldn’t afford it,” Bronx resident Lansana Keita said. “Depending on who won, I’m gonna stick it out for another year.”

Ballots also contain six questions about topics including affordable housing and moving local elections to presidential years to boost voter turnout.

For now, voters agree this election holds weight in the future of the city.

“I feel sort of, you know, tense about this one,” Manhattan voter Bonnie Shapiro said.

“It’s a tough one. It’s a difficult one,” Manhattan voter Luis Santeiro said.

“More people voting, more people participating, that’s what it’s all about. We get better results, I think,” Harlem voter Ian Green said.

Candidates on the campaign trail as early voting begins

All three candidates made public appearances on Saturday.

“Campaign gets serious today. New Yorkers start to focus,” independent candidate Andrew Cuomo said.

The former governor announced an endorsement from the United Clergy Coalition.

“You want to build affordable housing? Partner with the faith-based community. You want to do mental health services, community-based mental health services? Do it with a faith-based community. Economic development with the faith-based community,” he said.

He also emphasized he believes he’s the only candidate qualified for the post.

“You need a mayor who can do the job. It’s between me and Mamdani. You know I can do the job, and this is about saving the City of New York,” Cuomo said.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa voted early, remaining defiant that he’s staying in the race.

“Today, I cast my vote for myself and the Republican line, straight down the line,” he said. “Today, it should be the last time we hear that Curtis Sliwa should drop out.”

He also took shots at his competition.

“So let the people decide. They have a choice. The two corrupt ones now that they’re like Siamese twins, Cuomo and Adams. Zohran Mamdani, who, as I said, you can put his resume on a cocktail napkin, and Curtis Sliwa, who everybody knows, whether you like me, you don’t like me, you know I’ve served the people of New York for over 46 years,” Sliwa said.

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani met with business leaders in Brooklyn.

“I’m going to be voting on Election Day. And my message to early voters, of which I’ve already met a number, is that this is our opportunity, it continues to be. One to make the most expensive city in the United States of America affordable,” he said. “And it’s been so exciting to meet so many New Yorkers who have already done so, casting their vote for the only campaign that actually has a vision for the future of what this city can be, not just redirecting ourselves to thinking only of the past.”

Early voting ends Nov. 2, and Election Day is Nov. 4.