Mamdani casts ballot at NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art on first day of early voting

Rebecca White and Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News on Oct 24, 2026

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NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani cast his ballot for the midterm elections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art early Saturday — the first day of early voting in the city.

With several boxes of Dunkin' in hand, the mayor walked into the polling site at the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education on the ground floor of the 5th Avenue museum, shaking hands with poll workers and fellow voters before casting his vote.

“This is the only place in the world where you can be voting early at the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” Mamdani told a gaggle of reporters outside the voting spot. “For New Yorkers, who are concerned in a city where time is one of the most precious resources, voting early, you can do so in five minutes.”

“I voted early; I was only called a communist once,” Mamdani joked. “I got in and out.”

The mayor posted a video to social media, encouraging New Yorkers to take advantage of early voting, which begins Saturday and goes through Nov. 1.

“Polls are open. Early voting has started. Go to vote.nyc to find out your polling site. Polls are open. It’s time to vote,” he says, speaking into a bullhorn.

On the ballot, New Yorkers will choose candidates for governor, attorney general, state comptroller, along with seats in the House of Representatives and Senate.

There are also five proposals on the back of the ballot, drafted by the mayor’s Commission on Government Efficiency, aiming to make government “run faster.”

The proposals aim to save the city money, speed up housing construction, street safety projects, and contracting, and make it easier for small businesses to start outdoor dining, according to the mayor.

“I can’t tell New Yorkers how to vote, but I can tell you as a New Yorker I was proud to flip my ballot and vote yes on all five ballot proposals,” the mayor said.

Throughout the morning, a steady line of voters, like Rebecca Ascher, came into the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s voting area to cast their ballot.

“I like to vote on the first day.” Ascher, 57, said. “I’m very anxious about Nov. 3. It’s not about waiting in line or not waiting in line. I feel strongly about what I feel strongly about.”

The wait to vote, she said, wasn’t very long and she even managed to enjoy her time in line.

“It’s a beautiful morning,” she said.

Despite some clear political differences, Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul have formed an alliance ahead of Election Day.

“I’m excited to be campaigning with Gov. Hochul. I was excited to just vote for Gov. Hochul on the working families party line,” he said. “And yesterday we were out together on the G train, and I’m excited to continue being out there for her as she leads to her reelection.”

In a video released last week, the mayor supported Hochul and slammed her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, for his stance on Medicaid and support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On Friday, the mayor and Hochul campaigned in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, where they posed with babies and handed out pamphlets: “Give this to your parents!” the mayor told one youngster as he doled out a campaign leaflet.

Hochul appears to have a strong lead in her race against Blakeman. A Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday had the governor leading by 14 points, with the support of 55% of likely voters.