It’s a dramatic race to the finish line between traditional politics and a new-age, people-powered-social-media-powered campaign, as New York City prepares to vote for its next mayor.

New Yorkers will head to the polls on November 4 as a three-way mayoral race, between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, former Democratic governor and now independent Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, draws global attention.

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New York City holds mayoral elections every four years, with a two-term limit for any individual. But this year’s contest is notable for its three-way dynamic, bringing progressive, establishment and conservative forces to face off in the country’s largest city.

Here are five maps and charts to help you understand New York City and how the vote works.

How big is New York City?

New York City is the most populous city in the United States, with a population of nearly 8.5 million people as of July 2024.

It is also the most densely populated city in the country, with about 11,314 residents per square kilometre (29,303 residents per square mile).

The East Coast city comprises five boroughs, which are administrative divisions equivalent to counties.

They include:

The Bronx: The birthplace of hip-hop and home to Yankee Stadium. It is also home to 1.35 million people across 110sq km (42sq miles). The annual median income is $28,664, while renting a one-bedroom apartment costs $2,100 on average per month, making that about $25,200 annually.

Brooklyn: Known for its arts scene, quirky, diverse neighbourhoods, and the Brooklyn Bridge. It is home to 2.56 million people across 180sq km (71sq miles). Brooklyn has the third-highest annual median income of the five boroughs at $41,171, and a one-bedroom apartment averages $2,800 per month, which makes $33,600 annually.

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Manhattan: The economic and cultural centre of the city, home to Wall Street, Broadway, and Central Park, it’s a main character in many US television shows and movies. It is home to 1.59 million people across 59sq km (23sq miles). Manhattan has the highest annual median income of $61,439 but also has the highest rental rates, averaging $4,200 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, which is $50,400 per year.

Queens: The largest of the boroughs and home to two major airports – JFK International and LaGuardia. It is also home to 2.56 million people across 280sq km (109 sq miles). The annual median income is $40,549 and renting a one-bedroom apartment costs $2,700 per month on average, almost $32,400 annually.

Staten Island: Accessible by ferry from Lower Manhattan, this historic suburban borough, known for its parks and historical sites, is home to nearly 500,000 people across 152sq km (59sq miles). The annual median income is the second highest at $47,218, and renting a one-bedroom apartment costs $2,000 per month on average, which is $24,000 per year.

Together, the five boroughs cover a surface area of about 778.2 square kilometres (300 square miles) which is about the same size as Memphis in Tennessee, Berlin in Germany, or Singapore.

Who are New Yorkers?

At 38.8 years, New York City’s median age is slightly lower than the national median age of 39.2, reflecting its younger, more urban population.

The largest age group in New York City is that of 30-34 year olds (8.49 percent), followed by 25-29 year olds (8.02 percent), and 35-39 year olds (7.26 percent). Together, they make up nearly a quarter of the city’s total population.

New York City has slightly more females (4.29 million) than males (3.96 million).

New York City is widely regarded as one of the most diverse cities in the world, with residents speaking more than 200 languages.

According to City of New York data, 37 percent of New Yorkers were born outside the United States, and as many as 49 percent speak a language other than English at home.

Additionally, almost half of the city’s businesses are owned by immigrants.

At the time of the 2020 census, 30.9 percent of New Yorkers were white, followed by Hispanics at 28.3 percent, Blacks at 20.2 percent, and Asians at 15.6 percent. Residents identifying as two or more races, or other groups, including Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Hawaiians, make up the remaining five percent of the city.

The different boroughs, however, do not replicate citywide numbers, which vary greatly, and according to the 2020 census, are as follows:

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Brooklyn population: 2.73 million 

• White: 35.4%
• Black: 26.7%
• Hispanic: 18.9%
• Asian: 13.6%
• Two or more races: 4.1%
• Some other race: 1.4%

Queens population: 2.4 million 

• Hispanic: 27.8%
• Asian: 27.3%
• White: 22.8%
• Black: 15.9%
• Two or more races: 3.5%
• Some other race: 2.8%

Manhattan population: 1.69 million 

• White: 46.8%
• Hispanic: 23.8%
• Black: 11.8%
• Asian: 13%
• Two or more races: 3.7%
• Some other race: 1%

The Bronx population: 1.47 million 

• Hispanic: 54.8%
• Blacks: 28.5%
• White: 8.9%
• Asian: 4.6%
• Two or more races: 1.9%
• Some other race: 1.3%

Staten Island population: 495,747

• White: 56.1%
• Hispanic: 19.6%
• Black: 11.9%
• Asian: 9.4%
• Two or more races: 2.3%
• Some other race: 0.8%

Who are the candidates running for mayor?

New York City is one of 27 US cities holding mayoral elections on November 4.

The current mayor, Democrat Eric Adams, who has been in office since January 2022, withdrew his candidacy earlier in the year following several controversies, most notably his federal criminal indictment on bribery and conspiracy charges, which was ultimately dismissed by a judge in April.

The last non-Democratic mayor of New York City was Republican Rudy Giuliani, who was elected in 1993 and served two terms until 2001. Since then, the city has consistently chosen Democratic mayors, including Michael Bloomberg (2002-2023), Bill de Blasio (2014-2021) and Eric Adams.

Following primary elections within the two major parties, the three leading contenders for mayor are now: Zohran Mamdani, 34; Andrew Cuomo, 67; and Curtis Sliwa, 71.

Zohran Kwame Mamdani, 34

Mamdani is the Democratic Party candidate and also endorsed by the progressive Working Families Party.

An immigrant, Muslim and Democratic Socialist, Mamdani’s campaign has been focused on making New York more affordable, with rent freezes, free universal childcare and lower public transport costs.

Mamdani has been serving as a member of the State Assembly since 2021. His popularity has risen hugely over the past year, as the mayoral campaigns have got under way and, now, as early voting has begun. Nearly 220,000 ballots have already been cast.

The millennial candidate has appealed greatly to younger voters. On Sunday, he addressed a crowd of 13,500 people at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, with a promise that “New York isn’t for sale” – meaning it should be owned by the people generally, not by corporations and the “billionaire class”. Mamdani was joined by long-term Democratic Socialist senator, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, New York congresswoman who won congressional elections in 2018 with record numbers.

Andrew Cuomo, 65

The independent candidate was New York’s Democratic Governor from 2011-2021, and served as the attorney general of New York from 2007-2010, US secretary of housing and urban development from 1997-2001, and assistant secretary of housing and urban development from 1993-1997.

The government stalwart has decades of federal and state-level political experience, but in his last term as New York governor, he was accused by 13 women of sexual harassment and was forced to step down from office.

An independent investigation by the Office of the New York State Attorney General concluded that Cuomo had sexually harassed multiple women. This included unwanted touching, kissing and hugging, inappropriate comments, and retaliation against at least one complainant.

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Initially, Cuomo ran as a Democratic candidate for mayor, but lost in the primaries to Mamdani. Cuomo received 43.61 percent of the votes, and Mamdani 56.39 percent.

Cuomo’s political experience may resonate with older voters but, according to all the major polls, Mamdani is at least 10 points ahead of him.

In April, the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), the campaign finance regulator, found Cuomo’s campaign had not provided evidence of digital donations, a requirement to qualify for public funds.

Cuomo’s campaign lost out on nearly $3 million in public funds as a result of this.

Then, in May, the CFB fined his campaign $675,000 for “improper coordination” with a supporting Super PAC.

Cuomo has been supported by billionaires William P Lauder, Barry Diller, Michael Kors and Michael Bloomberg.

How the voting works

Since early voting began on October 25, almost 300,000 ballots have already been submitted. So far, Mamdani has maintained a 10-point lead over Cuomo, according to the Quinnipiac University Poll. The RealClearPolitics average has Mamdani leading at 46 percent, followed by Cuomo at 30.5 percent, and Sliwa trailing at 16.6 percent.

Unlike in the primaries, in which voters rank their choices, New York City voters will mark just one choice for mayor. Candidates are listed by party on the ballot paper, so some appear more than once if they have been endorsed by more than one.

As of February, there were 5.1 million registered voters in New York City, of whom 65 percent were Democrats and 11 percent were Republicans. About 1.1 million voters were not registered with any party and voter registration closed on October 25, one week before the November 4 election.

In the last New York City mayoral election, just more than 1.1 million voters cast ballots – about 21 percent of registered voters.

To be eligible to vote, residents of New York must:

• Be a US citizen
• Have been a New York City resident for at least 30 days
• Be at least 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17, but can’t vote until you’re 18)
• Not be in prison for a felony conviction
• Must not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court
• Not have registered to vote elsewhere.

When do polls open and close?

Polling stations will be open between the hours of 6am (10:00 GMT) and 9pm (01:00 GMT on November 5) on November 4.

Timings vary from location to location in the city, but polling stations open between 8am and 10am and close between 4pm and 9pm.

Early voting began on October 25 and will end on November 2.

A full list of polling stations open for early voting is available on the Board of Elections in the City of New York website.

What else are New Yorkers voting for?

New Yorkers will also cast votes for the positions of public advocate and comptroller in citywide elections. Many districts will also choose a new borough president, City Council seats, judges and other local offices.

In addition to that, voters must vote in favour of or against the following proposals on the ballot:

• Proposal 1: Allow an Olympic Sports Complex on State Forest Preserve Land
• Proposal 2: Fast Track Affordable Housing
• Proposal 3: Simplify Review of Modest Housing Projects
• Proposal 4: Establish an Affordable Housing Appeals Board
• Proposal 5: Create a Digital City Map
• Proposal 6: Move Local Elections to Presidential Election Years