NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The first few days of early voting in NYC saw massive turnout numbers—surpassing the entire nine-day period of early voting in the 2021 mayor’s race.
According to the NYC Board of Elections, turnout increased more than 400% in the first two days of early voting, with over 164,000 New Yorkers casting ballots.
The turnout was led by a surge in voters over 50 years old—a showing that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo believes will be good for him.
“These are extraordinary turnout numbers, I mean they are extraordinary,” Cuomo said Monday. “I feel it. I feel it on the street.”
Speaking with “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart on Monday, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani said he’s also thrilled residents are hitting the ballot boxes.
“I think it’s great to see this turnout,” Mamdani said. “I think we should always celebrate when more New Yorkers are going to the polls.”
The stunning turnout comes as a Suffolk University poll released Monday found Cuomo has cut Mamdani’s lead in half in one month.
Mamdani was leading by 20 points in Suffolk’s September poll. He’s now leading by 10 points—with 44% to Cuomo’s 34%—in the October poll.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa came in at third, with 11% of the vote.
“I will do what I’ve done every day in this campaign, which is to go down into the subways and ride with the passengers,” Sliwa said Monday after resisting calls last week to drop out of the race and support the independent Cuomo in a bid to defeat Democrat Mamdani.
In the poll, the remaining four candidates on the ballot garnered 2% of the vote. Another 7% of voters were undecided and 2% didn’t respond.
The survey was conducted amount 500 likely NYC voters between Oct. 23 and Oct. 26. It’s based on telephone interviews with adults 18 years and older.