Cristian Zumba could have voted in the presidential election last fall, but he chose not to. The 21-year-old college student and U.S. citizen said that he couldn’t get behind any of the candidates. As a child of immigrants, he said his parents came to the United States from Ecuador as undocumented immigrants and became naturalized citizens years later.
In today’s primary election though, he was compelled to vote, he said, because of one candidate: New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.
“I came out here on this hot day to vote because I really resonate with Zohran’s campaign and I hope he wins,” Zumba said, outside of his polling site at Port Richmond High School in Staten Island. “I hope Zohran changes the face of New York.”
After months of campaign promises and endless talking points, the primary election finally arrived for New Yorkers like Zumba during a day where temperatures soared into a sweltering 99-degrees (the hottest day since 2012). And while roughly 385,000 New Yorkers voted early over the past week — double those who did four years ago with many being first-time voters like Zumba — by 6 p.m. at close to 450,000 more had descended upon New York’s hundreds of polling sites at libraries, public schools and churches to rank their top choice — or choices — for New York’s Democratic mayoral candidate.
Documented’s community correspondents were on the ground visiting poll sites across the five boroughs, speaking with immigrant voters about their top choice for New York’s Democratic mayoral candidates. We spoke to 32 voters in neighborhoods with high populations of foreign-born residents: in the Bronx, Washington Heights, Flushing, Jackson Heights, Brookyn’s Sunset Park and Staten Island. Voters are divided, with no clear winner but with two top candidates.
Many voters said Andrew M. Cuomo, New York’s former governor, was the only and best candidate, citing his past political experience. His name recognition was an added plus, amid nearly a dozen candidates unfamiliar to many voters. “I’ve seen a lot about Andrew Cuomo on social media, so that’s why I’m voting for him,” said 21-year-old Washington Heights voter Hannah, who shared only her first name. Meanwhile, others said that the city needed someone like the 33-year-old Assemblyman Mamdani, a democratic socialist who immigrated to the U.S. at 7 years old from Uganda, and who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor of Indian descent. He, they said, offered the city the most hope and inspiration, and possibility of change.
In Flushing, Queens, Cuomo was the top candidate. Diana Garcia, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, chose Cuomo as her first and only choice. “Cuomo is the only one that can do something. And he can do anything he wants to do, good or bad,” said Garcia, explaining that ranking multiple candidates would only increase competition for her preferred choice. She admitted she didn’t know much about the other candidates, except for the current mayor, Eric Adams. “Adams is not gonna be my choice. He is on the side of Trump. He betrayed immigrant communities,” said Garcia. “[Cuomo] has the spirit. He knows the system. He knows how it works. He knows what to do to get whatever he thinks is gonna work. And I do have the hope that he’s gonna be on our side. I mean, obviously, he has to work with the president, but he’s not gonna betray us.”
Outside the John Bowne school in Flushing, Queens, Ah Eng Chang, a 77-year-old retiree and immigrant from Taiwan, also said Cuomo was her first and only choice. “I like him a lot,” Chang said in Mandarin, praising his leadership during the pandemic and citing her children’s influence on her decision. “My kids all said Cuomo is great. They felt angry that he was wrongly accused [of sexual harassment]. They said he’s a good man.” She also acknowledged how Cuomo’s fame played a role in her choice. “I don’t really know the other candidates. Every time I pass the [Governor Mario M. Cuomo] Bridge, I see his last name. So when I saw his name on the ballot, I picked him immediately.” Other voters also shared that they did not believe in sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, believing they were politically motivated.
Like Chang, even with 11 options on the ballot, many voters weren’t really aware of candidates other than Cuomo or Mamdani.
Another voter in Flushing, Calvin Wang, said his first choice for New York City’s next mayor was Mamdani. “I like the things he is advocating for,” said Wang, citing Mamdani’s policies such as rent freeze, support for the working class, free buses, and increasing the number of mental health workers. A U.S.-born Chinese American, Wang said he does not support New York City working more closely with the federal government on immigration enforcement. “I don’t think they should help ICE. What ICE is doing now is not proper,” he said.
Weeks before the primary, Documented conducted an informal survey polling our communities about who they’d like to see as mayor and what issues were important to them. Similar to the presidential election, voters told us public safety and crime were top concerns. This time, affordability was additionally on voters’ minds and zoomed to the top in terms of importance. We also learned that ICE enforcement actions under the Trump administration were major concerns, with voters telling us they’d like candidates to defend immigrants in light of the administration’s harsh anti-immigration policies.
In Jackson Heights, Tania F., a 56-year-old from the Dominican Republic, said she also voted for Cuomo. She was formerly a registered Republican, having voted for Reagan and Bush in past elections, but switched parties after Trump’s reelection. Quality of life was a big concern to her. “I think he should focus on cleaning the streets with sanitation, and there should be less homelessness,” she said. “The [people] with mental issues should be put somewhere.” She asked we share only her last initial for concerns of privacy.
Peter Laborte, an 85-year-old from the Philippines living in Jackson Heights, said he voted for Mamdani, and cited affordability. He lives in senior supportive housing and pays $1,700 a month in rent for a studio apartment. “I pay so much in rent just for a studio apartment. I think Mamdani will help make things better.”
Mamdani’s campaign has appealed to many immigrant voters. The campaign has named affordable housing and freezing rent prices as key priorities, right alongside promises to invest $165 million in legal defense services for immigrants.
In Washington Heights, José Ramos, an 83-year-old Dominican, also cited affordability as a key issue, but as a reason why he voted for Cuomo. “He’s the one I know best publicly,” he said. “I hope he keeps his promise to improve people’s well-being. What worries me the most is rent — I pay $825, which is just too much for me. I’d like him to help people like us, the poorest in this neighborhood.” Ramos was not alone. Of the seven voters we spoke to in Washington Washington Heights and the Bronx all cast their votes for Cuomo.
In the Bronx, Dominican Carmen Acevedo, 59, voted for Cuomo, saying he deserved a second chance. “Especially because he was already governor in Albany,” the homemaker said. “Personally, I think he did a good job, despite the fact that he had to step down due to the sexual misconduct scandal — which, to me, was politically charged. We think he can do good work for immigrants.”
In Sunset Park, Juan Roman, 53, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, pointed to Cuomo’s past experience as why he voted for him. “When he was here, we had plenty of jobs,” he said. “The food was cheap. Gas was cheap. You could get around this city without having to sacrifice your medicine or your food to get to work. Nowadays everything is upside down […] and that’s why I go out to vote.”
Of those we spoke to in Sunset Park, Mamdani was the favorite, but others like Comptroller Brad Lander, New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams were second choices.
There were other reasons voters brought up as to why they voted the way they did, not necessarily having to do with issues of affordability, immigration or public safety.
Back in Staten Island, Alay Syed, a 32-year-old middle school science teacher, said Mamdani’s Muslim, diverse immigrant background was what the city needed. She came to the United States from Pakistan when she was five years old and lived in Staten Island post-9/11 experiencing “Islamophobia on the streets, from classmates, in the classroom, [and even] from teachers.”
Referring to Mamdani’s chances of becoming New York’s first Muslim mayor, especially if he wins the Democratic primary, Syed said, “Honestly, the city needs that. The city has criminalized and otherized people like Zohran and it is necessary for us to step out of the last 20 years, or 25 years almost, of this constant otherization. We are a very diverse five boroughs.”
你知道吗？非公民办理驾照时的这个错误可能会导致选民欺诈
For Aram S. a 43-year-old South Korean, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement of Mamdani sealed the deal for her. “I was debating on who to vote for, but when AOC endorsed him, I decided to support Mamdani.” She also cited Mamdani’s religious background as a reason for her support.
Ben Montalibo, a 74-year-old retiree who immigrated from the Philippines eight years ago, said his first choice for mayor was Mamdani. His reasoning was blunt: “Because he is Asian, he is Indian.”
Regardless of how people voted, New Yorkers did come out and vote. Combined with early voting, almost 1 million New Yorkers have voted so far with polls yet to close, a pace that’s set to rival 2021’s numbers.
