On the last day of early voting in the 2025 NYC mayoral election, the candidates continued their final pitches for votes throughout the city before Election Day arrives on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
After a year marked by intense debates, strategic endorsements, and a major candidate’s withdrawal, the contentious mayoral race is drawing to a close with the impending announcement of the new mayor in just two days.
Meanwhile, candidates continued to campaign throughout the weekend, vying for every last vote. Here is how each candidate spent the last day of early voting on Nov. 2.
Mamdani goes to church, Cuomo touts narrowing gap
Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, started his Sunday with a call-in spot on WBLS 107.5 FM’s “Open Lines” show, giving him the opportunity to tout his ambitious campaign to listeners. Like Mamdani, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo started Sunday with a separate appearance on “Open Lines” as well.
After a morning of media appearances, the candidate delivered remarks at the First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem. He also zeroed in on one of his key, and controversial, platform promises of a rent freeze in NYC.
“I will not only freeze the rent for more than 2 million rent-stabilized tenants, but I will also invest in new affordable housing to make homeownership a dream that is possible to live,” Mamdani said to the crowd, who responded with resounding cheers.
The five-year NYS Assembly member wrapped up his Sunday campaigning at a canvass launch in Harlem.
Shortly after his radio spot, Mamdani appeared live on MSNBC’s weekend news show, “Velshi,” where he addressed his opponents’ criticisms regarding his stance on antisemitism.
“There’s no room for antisemitism in this city,” said Mamdani, who has previously refused to publicly recognize Israel as a Jewish state and has been a frequent critic of Israel over the Gaza war. “It is a scourge that I would root out of the five boroughs as someone who would be leading the entirety of this city. I lead this city not just to lead Jewish New Yorkers who vote for me, but frankly any Jewish New Yorker and any New Yorker who calls this city home.”
Meanwhile, the candidate’s team says it reached a milestone on Saturday by knocking on 103,000 doors — the most ever by the team in a single day.
With only two days until Election Day, Mamdani continues to be the frontrunner in polls.
Afterward, he headed to FOX News for a live appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, where he discussed narrowing the gap between him and Mamdani’s lead in most polls.
“He’s coming down, I’m going up, and that’s always good news,” Cuomo said.
He used the airtime to dismiss Mamdani’s promises of free services, including rent freezes and fare-free buses.
“None of it is reality. He’s very good on TikTok and social media and has great slogans like ‘freeze the rent.’ People think that means that he’s going to freeze their rent, and their rent won’t go up, but that’s totally untrue,” Cuomo said. “The mayor has no legal authority to freeze the rent.” However, the mayor does have substantial control over the independent Rent Guidelines Board is the entity responsible for determining rent costs.
Turning to Washington, Bartiromo asked Cuomo if he would be able to “work” with President Donald Trump, to which he responded that Democrats and Republicans do not have to argue just because they are from different parties.
“I think he would be open to a cooperative path that is doing good things in New York in cooperation with the federal government,” the former New York governor said. “I think he would like to see New York better. I want to appeal to that instinct first. If it becomes political, Democrat or Republican, like everything else down there, then that would be unfortunate.”
Cuomo is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary in June to Mamdani.
The candidate then headed to the Union Grove Baptist Church and Heavenly Vision Church, both located in the Bronx, before meeting with other New Yorkers who were preparing to cast their ballots on the last day of early voting.
Sliwa makes his rounds in the outer boroughs
Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa, who is still in third place in the race, continued his lively and spirited campaign through the outer boroughs and Manhattan.
Although he took a break from his signature meet-and-greets in the subway system, he started off strong on Sunday by campaigning in Borough Park, Brooklyn, alongside Republican NYC Council candidate Heshy Tischler. The pair met at Shloimys Bake Shoppe and visited various local stores where they spoke with customers and workers.
According to the New York Times, Sliwa visited a shop specializing in Judaica, where he “briefly considered a red kippah to augment his iconic red beret.”
Sliwa is also scheduled to appear at a car parade through Queens, from Rockaway to Forest Park. Later, he will give a speech and rally at Forest Park Bandshell before appearing on FOX News for a live stint on the “Big Show” at 5:30 p.m.
The candidate, renowned for his street-level engagement with New Yorkers, was due to conclude the day by leading an evening walking tour across Manhattan to connect with voters. He planned to start at 48th Street and Sixth Avenue, then head to Times Square and up 7th Avenue to 57th Street. He will wind down the engagement heading south on Ninth Avenue from 57th Street to 14th Street, passing through Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea.
