New Year’s Eve will ring in 2026 at the same time the Big Apple will welcome Zohran Mamdani as the new mayor of NYC.
NYS Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office to Mamdani at midnight on Dec. 31, though the exact location of the event has yet to be announced. In recent years, it has taken place in Times Square immediately following the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop.
Separately, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will swear in the mayor at a public ceremony on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m., his transition team said.
Per tradition, the public swearing-in will take place on the steps of City Hall. In addition to guests who have tickets to the afternoon event, Mamdani announced on Dec. 21 that he will host a “public block party” on a nearby segment of Broadway along the historic and iconic Canyon of Heroes.
The mayor-elect’s transition team said the block party will feature dedicated viewing areas for tens of thousands to gather and participate in the ceremony to ensure “the day belongs to all New Yorkers.”
Sanders said it is “his honor” to swear in the next mayor of NYC.
“At a moment when democracy is under attack and cynicism about our politics runs deep, Zohran Mamdani represents a new generation of progressive leadership rooted in courage, integrity and solidarity,” the progressive senator said.
Sanders, who was born in Brooklyn, is no stranger to administering oaths to incoming NYC mayors. He previously swore in former Mayor Bill de Blasio at the start of his second term in 2018.
Mamdani will be flanked by his family when James administers the oath of office.
“He ran a campaign that brought together New Yorkers around the universal idea that we should all be able to afford to live in our city,” James said. “I look forward to working with him and his administration to deliver on that vision as we keep all New Yorkers safe.”
James and Sanders are Mamdani’s ‘political inspirations’
Both James and Sanders are strong allies of Mamdani and campaigned for him through Election Day. He has described them both as two of his “inspirations” in politics.
“It is an honor to be sworn in by two leaders I have admired for years,” he said. “Attorney General James has taken on powerful interests in her defense of New Yorkers and embodied the principle of equal justice before the law.”
Mamdani has not been shy about aligning with many of Sanders’ progressive values. He even said he was inspired by the incumbent senator to run for office for the first time.
“Senator Bernie Sanders laid the foundations for our movement with his steadfast commitment to the dignity of working people and his belief in a government that serves the many, not just the few,” the mayor-elect said.
New Yorkers who want to attend the free public inauguration event must RSVP at transition2025.com. Organizers said space for the event is limited. The event will also be streamed live on the transition’s website.
Other elected officials taking office on Jan. 1 include Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Mark Levine as city comptroller.
Will outgoing Mayor Eric Adams attend?
It is unclear whether Adams will attend the historic event. In a recent interview with amNewYork about his tenure, the mayor said he has been wary of his presence becoming a distraction at the event.
He even explained to a reporter that he wanted the occasion to remain celebratory and historic, while expressing concern that some of Mamdani’s supporters might attempt a protest if he were to attend.
amNewYork contacted the Mayor’s office to get updated information and is awaiting a response.
