News & Politics
Live blog: 2026 primary day in New York
A nice and humid referendum on the power of the left and the clout of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat is fighting to hold onto his seat this election day. Rebecca C. Lewis
Voters are weird. They do things like vote for Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mamdani. They fixate on the endorsement of one City Council member. Or they go from being completely committed to Mamdani in the summer of 2025 to not even realizing there’s an election in 2026. All this to say, their behavior is hard to predict. But all across New York, they’re the ones deciding races today, before the polls close at 9 p.m. So join us as we track and react to the candidates and voters on this steamy 2026 primary election day.
4:15 p.m. – 20/26 Vision
In the race to fill Micah Lasher’s West Side Assembly seat, Stephanie Ruskay is running in a more moderate lane than her Democratic primary opponent, Eli Northrup. But there’s one big thing she agrees with the socialists on: fun eyeglasses.
“You’ve got to build bridges, find commonality where you can,” the bespectacled Ruskay said about congressional candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez. “My glasses store closed this year. So maybe I should call them, to find out where I should get my next pair.”
Valdez has rocked circular spectacles since running for Assembly. And Avila Chevalier has used her white-rimmed glasses as a calling card in campaign videos.
Ruskay also has a complicated relationship with boring glasses-wearing-Lasher. She has enthusiastically said she’s voting for him, and they share several key endorsers in common, including Council Member Gale Brewer. But even as they campaigned just steps away from each other on West 85th Street today, Lasher declined to endorse a successor, and wouldn’t say who he voted for: “That is between me and my ballot.” – Jeff Coltin
3:46 p.m. - Pro-Ramos AI-slop banner lists false endorsements
Outside a poll site near 80th Street and 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights stands a five-foot-tall banner listing endorsements for state Sen. Jessica Ramos’ reelection campaign, with prominent text noting it was “Paid for by Ramos for State Senate 2026.”
The first problem: many of the organizations named did not endorse her. The second problem: the clearly AI-generated banner is riddled with typos and design mistakes.
For example the Teamsters Union, which has endorsed Ramos, is spelled ‘TEEAMSTEREs’ on the banner. There’s an unholy mashup of the logo for RWDSU – which did endorse her – and 32BJ SEIU – which did not. And there’s a nearly-illegible logo for the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, even though HTC is firmly behind her opponent, Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, given Ramos’ opposition to the Metropolitan Park casino.
Union endorsements have been a hot topic in the Queens contest, with several unions that previously backed Ramos now flipping to JGR. A Ramos campaign spokesperson did not offer comment directly on the sign, but said anything that looked unprofessional was not from the campaign. – Fariha Rahman
3:40 p.m. – Zellner, Rivera optimistic in Western New York
Both sides in what is arguably the most competitive state legislative race in upstate New York are expressing optimism heading into primary night.
State Sen. Jeremy Zellner and his Democratic primary opponent, Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera, are facing off in a largely suburban Buffalo district in what has been a contest between the Erie County Democratic Committee and the progressive movement.
“We feel great,” Zellner told City & State. “We closed strong and hit a lot of doors personally.”
Zellner, the Erie County Democratic Committee chair, has been pushing his record since winning his Senate seat in a February special election. He has also been playing up his support from top Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Rep. Tim Kennedy. Zellner thinks he has “reached a crescendo” in the race since when he knocked on a door the other day and his commercial was playing on the voter’s television.
Rivera spokesperson Ethan Powers said organized labor has been out in full force for the Assembly member in the closing days of the race, and that the Rivera camp sees a path to victory in the closing hours of the race. Rivera has been backed by a number of unions, including 1199SEIU, United Auto Workers and CSEA. The New York Working Families Party is also backing Rivera.
“We’ve been hitting the doors for weeks and weeks at this point,” Powers said. “It is clear folks in the district want a change.” – John Celock
3 p.m. – Turnout still creeping up in NYC
By 3 p.m., no single borough's voting check-ins for today had surpassed its total for all of early voting. While turnout remains highest in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with 53,125 and 52,408 check-ins, respectively, that's still much lower than the 67,669 and 54,277 the two saw by the end of early voting. In Manhattan, where every Democrat has a competitive House primary, turnout is tracking at about 56% of the turnout in last year’s mayoral primary. In the other boroughs, turnout is less than half of last year.
Still, the rate of turnout is increasing as the day goes on. In the Bronx, the number of people who voted between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. (8,945) rivaled the number of those who voted between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. (10,156) – double the amount of time. Queens turnout also skyrocketed, going from 16,335 check-ins as of 12 p.m. to 30,070 by 3 p.m. – Sophie Krichevsky
— NYC Board of Elections (@BOENYC) June 23, 2026
3 p.m. – Comptroller candidates make their final pitches
In the lone statewide contest on the ballot this primary day, incumbent Tom DiNapoli opted to work the phones on the day of the election. Campaign spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman said the comptroller has been thanking supporters over the phone and telling them to remind friends and family to vote. While DiNapoli’s government schedule placed him in New York City and on Long Island, where he lives, challenger Drew Warshaw has been criss-crossing New York City, with his public schedule placing him in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn throughout the day. Our own Sahalie Donaldson ran into him in Park Slope earlier this afternoon. Warshaw also began the day by touting a new endorsement to bolster his progressive cred: socialist in office Assembly Member Emily Gallagher.
Fellow insurgent Raj Goyle also spent the day in New York City, starting off in Upper Manhattan and ending the day in Brooklyn. On social media, Goyle highlighted his support from the Muslims Vote Project. – Rebecca C. Lewis
On one corner in Park Slope, we’ve got an interesting trio: comptroller canidate Drew Warshaw campaigning for himself and dueling canvassers for Brad Lander and Dan Goldman.
— Sahalie Donaldson (@SahalieD) June 23, 2026
“We’ve seen each other a lot,” the Goldman canvasser says. “Like five times,” the Lander canvasser adds. pic.twitter.com/Wod6Z5qaYE
2:45 p.m. - Dan Goldman gets mixed reception in Park Slope
Over in Brad Lander’s home neighborhood of Park Slope, Rep. Dan Goldman said the reception from voters has been “better than the outside would think.”
“There are a lot of people who I have heard are very disappointed with the campaign that my opponent has run,” Goldman charged, referencing the fact that Israel’s war in Gaza has loomed large over the 10th Congressional District race. While both he and Lander are Jewish, they’ve represented dueling viewpoints on the divisive issue – Goldman, more in line with Democrats’ historically pro-Israel stance, and Lander, who has been highly critical of the country’s treatment of Palestinians.
“He as a quote unquote Zionist Jew himself, is using this very combustible issue as a wedge – as the central platform of his race – which is I think turning a lot of people off who have supported him in the past,” Goldman added.
Just a few days earlier, a coffee shop chain called Poetica Coffee sparked a firestorm by sharing a social media post condemning Goldman over his support of Israel after he’d visited the Williamsburg location with his daughter. The post has since been deleted, but not before it was widely circulated. Seemingly referencing the incident and another online attack against a Goldman staffer, Lander urged people to turn down the “over-the-top toxic’” rhetoric Tuesday afternoon.
But mere minutes after arriving outside of a Park Slope poll site to speak with voters, Goldman was confronted by a woman who at first, repeatedly interrupted as he attempted to do an interview with a journalist, then upon its conclusion, directly challenged him over his past sign off on U.S. military aid to Israel.
“You’ve been sitting here trying to interrupt an interview by yelling at me,” Goldman told the woman, who later identified herself to City & State as a mother who lives in the district and supports Lander.
“I’m sorry you are so entitled that you think you deserve people to treat you so kindly after you have actually caused the murder – not solely, but given money to cause the murder of thousands of families,” the woman fired back. “Why do you think you deserve peace after that?”
After telling the woman he’d be happy to talk to her, just not there, Goldman swiftly walked away. Other residents were happier to see him. As he moved a block away, two passersby wished him luck.
“I just voted for you,” one said. “I love you.” – Sahalie Donaldson
12:30 p.m. – SUNY chancellor casts his primary ballot in comptroller race
Few primary mailers made the rounds in Albany this cycle, but by lunchtime on primary day, there was a steady turnout of Democratic voters – by Albany standards anyway – Democratic voters for three races today: state comptroller, county court justice and county committee (for which two people are elected).
About 150 people cast a ballot at the First Presbyterian Church polling site in Albany by lunchtime, including SUNY Chancellor John King, who lives in the Center Square neighborhood.
King declined to say who he voted for in any race, but he gave a nod to state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who is facing a primary challenge for the first time in his nearly 20 years in his role. “I’m excited that we have a great comptroller who’s doing a great job, and that’s Tom Dinapoli, but I’m going to leave my vote between me and the ballot box,” he said.
Comptroller candidates Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle are generally more progressive than DiNapoli, but many voters, like 75-year-old Eric Burke, said they cast a ballot for the longtime incumbent.
“I’m impressed with his work and the job he’s doing, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Burke said.
The quiet polling place picked up a bit with state and city workers voting on their lunch hour. Some voters said they were confused about this year’s new polling site location, while several others said they didn’t know there was a primary until two days ago. Most said they learned about the races from Assembly Member Gabriella Romero’s social media posts.
Local author Jocelyn Jackson said she mainly came out to vote in the local races. She declined to say who got her vote for comptroller – except that it wasn’t DiNapoli.
“I was leaning a little bit more progressive,” she said. – Kate Lisa
12 p.m. – Latest NYC voter numbers
By noon, about 260,000 New York City voters had participated in this primary. That’s less than half of the 600,000 voters who had checked in by noon in 2025, but there has been an uptick in participation in the past few hours compared to the 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. window. About 63,000 people turned out since 9 a.m., compared to the roughly 24,000 who showed up before work. – Holly Pretsky
— NYC Board of Elections (@BOENYC) June 23, 2026
11:30 a.m. – Espaillat casts his vote
Rep. Adriano Espaillat arrived at his Inwood poll site this morning several hours after his opponent Darializa Avila Chevalier cast her vote in Harlem.
Addressing reporters after casting his ballot, Espaillat highlighted his deep and longstanding ties to the district and community. “I cast that vote with pride, being a resident of New York City and this neighborhood basically all my life since I got here from the Dominican Republic at the age of 9,” he told reporters. “I never left Washington Heights, I stayed here. I think I’m part of the fabric of this community.” Espaillat has characterized his DSA-backed opponent and her supporters as gentrifiers without the same roots.
As the incumbent spoke with reporters, he stood immediately in front of the polling place for a short period, making it difficult for voters to enter. A spokesperson denied this broke the law prohibiting electioneering within 100 feet of a poll site, though he acknowledged that moving down the street would have been more preferable had press not already gathered.
Espaillat also dismissed comments from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who appeared with Avila Chevalier this morning, about the need for change in the Democratic Party and new faces in Congress. “I am a new face in Congress,” he said after highlighting his long history representing the area at various levels of government. “I am the first formerly undocumented member of (Congress), I am the first Dominican American to be elected to the House of Representatives. … And I think I’ve strengthened (the Democratic Party) but inside of it.”
Espaillat further expressed confidence in his odds of winning when asked. “I mean, go to a polling market, I think they’ll tell you everything,” he said. – Rebecca C. Lewis
11:30 a.m. – The bromance continues
One year after their historic cross endorsement helped the young democratic socialist win the Democratic mayoral primary, Zohran Mamdani joined Brad Lander on the campaign trail again – this time, to boost the former comptroller in his bid to unseat Rep. Dan Goldman.
Lotsa of familiar faces at the poll site as the mayor arrives - in addition to Brad Lander, there’s Assembly candidate Illapa Sairitupac, Yuh-Line Niou, Cynthia Nixon, and Mamdani advisor Morris Katz. pic.twitter.com/mYzZdbEfhH
— Sahalie Donaldson (@SahalieD) June 23, 2026
Lander wasn’t the only candidate Mamdani joined at the Lower East Side poll site. Flanked by Lander and Illapa Sairitupac – a DSA-backed candidate running to succeed Assembly Member Grace Lee – Mamdani reiterated his affordability-centric messaging, describing the two men as important partners in the fight to lower prices.
Asked how confident he is in the chances of his endorsees’ tonight, Mamdani demurred, saying he’s not the best person to give out predictions. “I think what we see in these candidacies is a referendum on whether the kind of leadership we have is the one that is serving the people of the city,” Mamdani added, gesturing to Lander. “As Brad often says, it’s not just a question of electing more Democrats, it’s a question of electing better Democrats.”
Mamdani may be all in for Lander, but his wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji, notably excluded Lander from her election day Instagram post. “today’s the day NYC!!!” she wrote. “vote @claireforny @darializaforny” – Sahalie Donaldson
11 a.m. – Alex Bores tests his appeal on the West Side
Assembly Members Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, the front-running candidates in New York's most expensive congressional race this year, took turns at Upper West Side poll sites this morning. Bores was first to hit P.S. 75 on 95th and West End Avenue where he ran into some supportive voters (yes, even on Lasher's West Side home turf) and spoke to a few reporters in between last minute canvassing.
Asked about the tens of millions in outside spending in the race, Bores lamented that fellow candidates in NY-12 didn't join him at the start of the race when he said he asked them to sign on to a "People's Pledge," which calls for candidates to give 50% of their own campaign dollars for whatever is spent by super PACs supporting them or attacking their opponent. "I think all my opponents looked around at the super PAC attacking me and said, 'Eh, we're going to turn a blind eye and let that happen.'"
Like Bores, Lasher has been critical of super PAC spending in the race – and the Citizens United decision more broadly. And like Bores, Lasher has had a super PAC spend on his behalf. In between chats with supportive voters of his own, Lasher told City & State that Bores is "totally full of shit on that pledge." If Bores had to pay $1 for every $2 spent by a super PAC on his behalf, he wouldn't have close to enough to make good on the pledge given the millions spent in his favor, he said. "It's a cheap talking point from a guy who has run his entire campaign on disingenuous cheap talking points," Lasher said – a notably gloves-off line that earned a glance from a nearby staffer. "It's election day," Lasher told the staffer. – Annie McDonough
10:50 a.m. – Campaigning at “Fort McCourt”
“I feel as good as a neurotic Jew can feel on election day,” Assembly Member Micah Lasher said, suggesting he’s only a base level of worried about the outcome of his NY-12 campaign. Lasher was campaigning outside Frank McCourt High School on West 85th Street on the Upper West Side, and was joined by an all-star endorser line-up of three former Manhattan borough presidents: Gale Brewer, Scott Stringer and Ruth Messinger.
But the West Sider downplayed the geographic dynamic against his leading opponent, East Side Assembly Member Alex Bores. “I will predict that we are going to do surprisingly well on the east side,” he said. “It may look less like (a divide) than people expect.”
Nearby, a young canvasser pitched incoming voters. “Vote for Alex Bores, the 18th richest man in the world is spending millions of dollars to stop him.” That rich man, of course, is Mike Bloomberg, but the canvasser agreed it was better not to mention the ex-mayor’s name, since he’s quite popular. – Jeff Coltin
10:30 a.m. – Far from the polls, Hochul says ‘Let’s go Bills’
Where in the world is Gov. Kathy Hochul? Not getting out the vote on primary day. She gave remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Highmark Stadium, the new home of the Buffalo Bills, which the state chipped in $650 million for.
That cash, included as a surprise last-minute addition to Hochul’s first budget, was controversial. But the governor said it was important to get it done.
“I knew that I would not be the governor who had on her tombstone, ‘She let the Bills get away,’” Hochul said. “I would not let that be the case.” She added that one of her first calls after ascending to the governorship was to the Pegulas, the billionaire owners of the Bills, “because I was hearing that they’re a little frustrated that they weren’t feeling the right amount of interest from the state.”
The governor did at least allude to the politics today, but as a means of hyping up the unity of the Bills mafia. “There’s so much divisiveness in society today, elections, all the ads that drive everybody nuts, and you just feel like we’re getting pulled further and further apart,” she said. “But when you walk into this stadium, or you walk into a Bills bar, that all dissipates.” – Rebecca C. Lewis
9:10 a.m. – First primary day NYC voting numbers roll in
The New York City Board of Elections put out its first set of voter check-ins just after 9 a.m., three hours after polls opened. After about 172,000 people voted early – far below the more than 735,000 who voted early in last year's mayoral primary – roughly 24,000 people cast ballots in the first three hours of voting this morning. Manhattan had a slight edge over Brooklyn in that period, with 8,439 ballots cast to Brooklyn's 8,409. Both are home to competitive congressional races. Meanwhile, the Bronx had 2,503 votes cast in that time and in Queens, another 4,583. Staten Island saw just 360 votes in that time. – Sophie Krichevsky
— NYC Board of Elections (@BOENYC) June 23, 2026
8:30 a.m. – Park Slopers evaluate their Congress member
Former Mike Bloomberg press secretary Jennifer Falk greeted voters outside William Alexander Middle School in Park Slope. She was handing out lit for Rep. Dan Goldman, who she said was more equipped than Brad Lander to handle federal policy. A voter approached her and said “tell Dan to kick Brad’s butt,” and called Lander a “self-hating Jew.” Leaving the poll site was Lawson Shadburn, who said he voted for Lander in part because “I’m a concerned Jew who’s very worried about how U.S. policy towards Israel and Israel's behavior is not good for Israel or for Jews.” – Holly Pretsky
8:15 a.m. – Brooklyn Dems get an early start
The streets of Crown Heights were pretty quiet this morning – perhaps in part due to the misty, gloomy weather – but the Brooklyn Dems are already out in full force. Across the street from a poll site on Nostrand Avenue and Prospect Place, a canvasser who signed up knowing she’d get paid for her efforts handed out palm cards encouraging residents to “vote for real Democrats.” The slate included all incumbents: Rep. Yvette Clarke, Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, State Committee Members Michelle Tégé and Anthony Beckford, plus Brooklyn Dems leader Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s pick for civil court judge, Michelle DeSouza.
Pretty quiet at the polls walking around Crown Heights this morning so far, but Kings County Dems are already out and about. Just spoke to a paid canvasser who was wearing a Tégé for DL shirt and handing out this pic.twitter.com/RuRwGkoHgW
— Sophie Krichevsky (she/her/hers) (@skrichev13) June 23, 2026
The Brooklyn Dems have been pushing hard to reelect their sitting district leaders here in Assembly District 43, sending out numerous mailers, handing out flyers and even sending text blasts in recent weeks. It comes as Bichotte Hermelyn looks to defend her chairship – and the Democratic machine – from reformers like the New Kings Democrats. There are 10 contested DL races across the borough, and the outcomes could determine who leads the party. – Sophie Krichevsky
7:30 a.m. – Mamdani votes with DAC
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani briefly joined Darializa Avila Chevalier in East Harlem before she cast her vote in her race against Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
“As a Black woman, as a Dominican woman, as a daughter of immigrants, it is my honor to have run a campaign that centers working people, and it is my privilege to be able to vote today,” Avila Chevalier told reporters. She has faced racist attacks in recent days questioning her Dominican ethnicity and her place in the Dominican diaspora.
Avila Chevalier is one of a slate of congressional candidates that Mamdani has endorsed that has put him at odds with other members of Democratic Party leadership, as well as with incumbents. The races are viewed broadly as a test of the mayor’s influence after a historic victory last year, as well as the power of DSA, which has endorsed Avila Chevalier, as well Claire Valdez, for Congress.
“I think what we have here is an opportunity to elect partners to help fulfill our affordability agenda,” Mamdani said when asked whether he felt he had a lot on the line today. “I’ve spoken to New Yorkers time and time again about my focus being the transformation of the nation’s most expensive city into one that we can afford, and we can only achieve that if we have partners in Washington. And in Darializa, in Claire, in Brad (Lander), I see those partners.”
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a fellow progressive running against the DSA-backed Valdez, has said he is committed to being a partner to the mayor as well. But Mamdani reiterated Valdez’s loyalty in the organizing space when asked if he thought Reynoso wouldn’t be a partner.
“I think what we look at is, someone in Claire Valdez, is a track record, is someone who has been there time and time again,” Mamdani told reporters. “I stand here today as the mayor. However, when I launched that campaign, there was only one elected official at my launch, and that was Claire Valdez, and that was because she knew it was a fight for working people.”
Mamdani met up with Valdez afterwards, per her X post. – Rebecca C. Lewis
6 a.m. – Top congressional races
This year’s congressional races are not just about a changing of the guard. They’re also a test of whether there will be significant coattails following New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory. Will his endorsement win elections? And will the Democratic Socialists of America – and its army of energized organizers, volunteers and followers – turn out again in strong numbers? Here are the 2026 NYC congressional races to watch.
6 a.m. – Polls open
There’s sure to be a changing of the guard in Albany come January, but less certain is exactly what that will look like. Many of these races are in New York City, but there are plenty throughout the state too. While some races pit establishment Democrats against the left, others pit the left against the far left. And affordability will continue to be a major theme across the board. Here are the 2026 state legislative primary races to watch.