News & Politics
Live blog: 2026 general election day in New York
Is a “blue wave” approaching or will Republicans hold on to key swing seats?
Gubernatorial race opponents Bruce Blakeman and Gov. Kathy Hochul are campaigning through the finish line on Election Day. Composite: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images and Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
The way things are trending, election night is looking very good for the Democratic Party. The polls are moving in the party’s favor in a number of swing seats nationwide. The ratings experts have continued to shift races to the left. Democratic candidates are feeling good and optimism is running high among the party faithful. But we’ve seen this film before.
Remember Hillary Clinton’s party at the Javits Center in 2016? Remember J. Ann Selzer’s Iowa poll in 2024 that missed by 16 percentage points? The prognosticators have been wrong before. But regardless of whether the polls are right, it’ll be an exciting night in New York with the governor up for reelection, swing House seats up for grabs and a Democratic supermajority at stake in the state Senate. Follow along with City & State’s live blog on Election Day as we cover what’s happening at the polls, and our reporters will be fanned out across the state providing updates about the most consequential results on election night.
7:55 p.m. – Dems prepare to party
State Dems election night party food/drink report: I'm told Gov. Hochul and the Dems have splurged on an open bar for guests. Not seeing any food offerings yet, if there are any. In my experience, Republicans have generally been more generous in the food and drink department https://t.co/6cB6ILy2XM
— Rebecca C. Lewis (@_rebeccaclewis) November 4, 2026
Doors opened to the public for the state Democratic Party’s election night party in Manhattan about 30 minutes ago. With polls not yet closed, few supporters have arrived so far. But Democrats seem prepared to party the night away ahead of what they hope will be landslide victories for Gov. Kathy Hochul and the rest of the statewide ticket – and in anticipation of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries ascending to the role of House speaker if Democrats win back the House. But Jeffries won’t be partying with fellow Democrats in New York. City & State’s Heard Around Town reported earlier today that he's in Washington, D.C., as returns roll in. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer similarly isn't expected to celebrate – or perhaps commiserate – in New York either. Still, Hochul has a slew of other surrogates on call to hype her up, as well as other Democrats. And New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to attend the Hilton shindig as well after using some of his political capital to stump for the governor the past two weeks. – Rebecca C. Lewis
5:55 p.m. – Westchester County Dems chair condemns “partisan theatrics” surrounding scanner issue
Westchester County Democratic Party Chair Suzanne Berger shared a statement first with City & State responding to some online rhetoric from the right suggesting today’s mishap with poll site scanners across the county was actually partisan sabotage, in a county where one of the country’s most competitive House races is taking place.
“Trump parrots like Claudia Tenney and Katie Miller with zero connection to our incredible County are attempting to exploit a technical error in our bipartisan election process to manufacture outrage, sow distrust, and spread lies,” she said in the statement. “We will not allow political opportunism, misinformation, or manufactured chaos to undermine the integrity of our elections or shake the public’s confidence in our democracy.”
It comes as the Trump administration has deployed so-called “election monitors” across the country. Some Republicans have claimed its an effort to stop election fraud by non-citizens. Some Democrats have called it an intimidation tactic.
“Democrats will stand firm in defending the integrity of this election and the fundamental right of every voter to have their voice heard,” Berger added in her statement. “We will not be intimidated, we will not be distracted, and we will not allow partisan theatrics to interfere with the democratic process.” – Sophie Krichevsky
Westchester County Dems sharing a statement from Chair Suzanne Berger with City & State on the scanner situation and some online rhetoric on the matter: "We will not allow partisan theatrics to interfere with the democratic process." Full statement here: https://t.co/B3SoKbSXEe
— Sophie Krichevsky (she/her/hers) (@skrichev13) November 3, 2026
5:20 p.m. – Gendebien says last-minute votes could ‘absolutely’ be decisive in NY-21
Democrat Blake Gendebien told City & State that last-minute votes could “absolutely” be the deciding factor in the race for New York’s 21st Congressional District – just before he launched a group of labor union canvassers outside of the same hotel in Canton, New York, where he is hosting his election night party.
“Right up until the ending bell, we’re going to continue to knock on doors, make phone calls and encourage people to get out there and vote before 9 o’clock,” Gendebien told City & State. “The coach in me says ‘Don’t let any balls roll out of bounds.’”
Gendebien acknowledged it’s an uphill climb to win a district where Republicans have a near 80,000-seat registration advantage and where voters overwhelmingly voted for President Donald Trump in 2024. “I don’t live in an echochamber, I’ve got friends that voted for Donald Trump three times,” he said, though he added, “everyone’s tired of partisan games.”
One of the union canvassers, Sara O’Neill of SEIU United Health Care Workers East, told City & State that Gendebien’s messaging on rural hospital closures resonated with her union, which represents healthcare and social workers, and endorsed Gendebien in late August.
“He’s genuine, he’s honest, he’s very passionate about rural healthcare,” O’Neill said as she was preparing to get in her car, noting Gendebien is “fighting like heck” to keep the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, one of few labor clinics in the northern part of the district.
– Zach Jaworski
5:30 p.m. – Erie and Tompkins counties on track to hit 2022 numbers
As of 5 p.m., turnout numbers for two Upstate Democratic counties are coming in at – or below – their totals for the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Erie County, home to Gov. Kathy Hochul, is at a total of 288,103 votes – or 45.9% of registered voters. This includes 172,525 voters today, along with 99,283 early voters and 16,296 absentee voters. In 2022, 55.5% of registered voters in the county voted.
“I think we are on track to meet that,” Erie County Board of Elections spokesman Derek Murphy told City & State.
He said that with four hours left until polls close, the 2026 numbers could ultimately exceed the 2022 numbers. Voters coming to the polls after work could bolster the turnout in a county where Hochul is looking for a good result against Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman.
Erie County is also home to several competitive Assembly races and a competitive race for county clerk. Murphy said turnout has been steady across cities, towns and villages across the county with no one community seeing a higher-than-expected total.
In the Democratic stronghold of Tompkins County – home to Ithaca – turnout was 48.4% as of 5:15 p.m, including early voting. Democratic County Elections Commissioner Steve Dewitt said that the county had a roughly 65% turnout in the 2022 gubernatorial race and a 60% turnout in the 2018 election.
But he cautioned that the after-work voter crowd could push these numbers higher.
“It doesn’t look like it will make it to 60, but wait and see,” Dewitt said.
– John Celock
3:45 p.m. – Never too early to think about 2030
DSA’s soon-to-be Rep. Claire Valdez and WFP state director Jasmine Gripper demurred when City & State asked whether they’ll support Gov. Kathy Hochul if she seeks another term in 2030.
Valdez pointedly declined to endorse Hochul this year, while the WFP gave Hochul a late endorsement – but pointedly didn’t endorse her would-be challenger, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s, all but forcing the end of his quixotic primary bid against her.
Gripper and Valdez held an informal press gaggle this afternoon outside Frank Sinatra High School in Astoria alongside state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Assembly Member Diana Moreno and state Senate candidate Aber Kawas – all of whom are endorsed by both DSA and WFP in the general election.
Asked why she hadn’t endorsed the governor, Valdez pointed to Hochul’s stubborn refusal to raise income and corporate taxes. “We really want to see Gov. Hochul tax the rich and we want to see her tax wealthy New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations, so that we can make sure that not just New York City but the whole of New York state can be made whole,” she said.
So if Hochul taxed the rich, would Valdez endorse her the next time she’s up for reelection in four years? “Well, we’ll see,” she said. “You know, 2030 is many years away, and we are really hopeful that next year, she’ll make some commitments and move the needle on that.”
Although she didn’t endorse Hochul this year, she did vote for her – on the WFP line, which has become a way for socialists and other progressives to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with Hochul’s moderate politics while still supporting her reelection.
The WFP needs to get at least 2% of the vote in the governor’s race in order to maintain its automatic ballot access – a target the party expects to exceed. Gripper told City & State that Democratic politicians like Hochul pay close attention to the number of votes they receive on the WFP line, which can provide leverage to push for progressive policies like taxing the rich. “We want to be able to talk to Hochul and be like, ‘This is who the WFP coalition is who voted for you, and these are your voters, and you have to meet your constituents where you are,” she said. “They want to see you tax the rich, they want to invest in universal health care and childcare, and we have to do it together.”
But what if Hochul resists pressure from the left to raise taxes for the whole of her next term. Might WFP endorse a progressive primary challenger in 2030?
“We haven’t looked at 2030 yet!” she said. “We have 2029, 2028 ticket, it’s going to be lots of races, defending our mayor will be one of them, and then get to 2030. Nonetheless, what we are doing is growing our bench of people who are ready to step into higher office. – Peter Sterne
3:30 p.m. – Capital Region sees voters from all sides out in full force
Rensselaer County – Albany County’s next-door neighbor – has grown more politically purple in recent years, with a solid mix of diehard red and blue communities. And that was on full display this afternoon at a polling site at the North Greenbush town offices with a steady stream of voters even in the middle of the day, from young families, construction and other blue-collar workers, elderly veterans and young people.
“I’m a mixed bag,” said Matt Militello, who voted for Gov. Kathy Hochul over Republican Bruce Blakeman. “She’s got a broad appeal because she doesn’t seem to be all about New York City.”
Militello also voted for Democrat Devin Lander over incumbent state Sen. Jake Ashby. Ashby and Republican Assembly Member Scott Bendett are facing competitive reelection bids for the first time in years.
Several voters declined to speak with City & State outside the polling site, but some indicated they weren’t voting for Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Jacqueline Heffner, an independent voter who’s lived in the town for 20 years, voted for Hochul four years ago, but said she hasn’t seen any improvement in the state in the last four years and voted for Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, this time instead.
“I’m not voting for Hochul, that’s for sure – I’m tired of the same old, same old,” she said. “I usually vote Democrat, but I’m really set back by the fact older people like my father have to fight to get anything in this state when he worked for the government his whole life. He can’t get any help whatsoever, and immigrants just seem to get everything handed to them.” – Kate Lisa
3:28 p.m. – State’s smallest county seeing big Turnout
New York’s smallest county is seeing higher than normal turnout in today’s election.
Hamilton County Democratic Elections Commissioner Jade Sherman said that the roughly 5,107-person county saw 439 early voters this year, a 100-person increase from the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Anecdotal evidence from election day turnout shows higher turnout is consistent today. But Sherman said that she could not give real time election day turnout, since the largely rural county uses a paper and pencil system of recording voter turnout at each polling place. This prohibits the elections agency from knowing how many people have voted today until all the information has come back to the board’s Lake Pleasant office later tonight.
But in talking to poll workers, Sherman said Hamilton County is voting.
“Our totals are higher so far, we are seeing more traffic,” she said. “In my last five years this is the highest turnout we’ve had except the presidential last year.” – John Celock
3:12 p.m. – “Very Robust” In Some Southern Tier Counties
Turnout is trending higher in several of the counties in New York’s Southern Tier.
Steuben County Republican Elections Commissioner Bryan Housel told City & State that they are seeing a higher-than-normal election day turnout today than normal. As of 2 p.m., the county had 12,300 voters for today, normally they would see between 9,000 – 10,000 voters by the same time.
“We are seeing a very robust turnout today,” Housel said. “We have a quarter more at this point.”
With early voting included, Steuben County has had roughly 20,500 people vote so far, which Housel characterized as “way up.”
In Cattaraugus County, Republican Elections Commissioner Kevin Burleson said the current numbers have the county on track for a 60% turnout, higher than a regular midterm election, though below the 65-70% the county sees in presidential years.
As of 2 p.m. 10,463 people had voted in Cattaraugus County today. Combined with early and absentee votes, 15,207 people had voted for a 30% turnout.
In Broome County, approximately 21,000 people have voted as of 2 p.m. The total does not include several rural polling places that have not reported back. According to Justin McGregor, technology coordinator for the Broome County Board of Elections, current trends would put the county on track for a 50-55% turnout for the day. Broome County had 19,791 early votes and 5,700 absentee ballots returned so far – slightly above typical midterm elections.
Burleson, the Cattaraugus County elections commissioner, said that while early voting in the county mirrors the national trend to lean Democratic while same day voting leans Republican, he has seen an uptick in Republican early voters. He noted that early voting benefits everyone.
“From an election administration standpoint that takes stress off the polling places on Election Day and all the people working there,” he said. – John Celock
2:30 p.m. – Gendebien ‘feeling great’ about campaign, pushes back on Trump, Vance
Standing at a polling location in Lisbon, New York, after voting with his wife and three children Tuesday afternoon, Democrat Blake Gendebien said he is “feeling great” about his campaign, as he goes head to head with Republican Anthony Constatino in the race to succeed outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik.
“I was really proud to be there,” Gendebien told a gaggle of reporters as a light drizzle began to fall. “This is really a special day to represent our community here in the North Country and upstate New York.”
The congressional hopeful took a moment to comment on Constantino’s rally with Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr. – which helped thrust New York's 21st Congressional District into the national spotlight – in Rome, New York, on Monday, and responded to Vance calling him an “asshole.”
“It’s extremely unbecoming of the vice president of the United States, and that’s why I’m running. I’m running to bring decency and civility back,” said Gendebien. “They didn’t come here to listen, they came here to save the floundering campaign of my opponent.”
Gendebien also pushed back on comments made last week in a social media video by President Donald Trump, who called him an “open borders extremist” while endorsing his opponent.
“That’s where he got it wrong, I actually support his border policies and I don’t believe we should be abolishing ICE,” Gendebien told City & State. “I do think, though, that we need to work really hard to get out of international conflicts … that drive up our costs in rural America.” – Zach Jaworski
2:25 p.m. – Chris McCreight experiences the love and war of campaigning
Democratic Assembly candidate Chris McCreight had biting remarks for his Republican opponent Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny while campaigning outside of P.S. 264 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
“They don’t know who their assemblyman is because he doesn’t spend any time, not just in Bay Ridge, but doesn’t spend any time outside of hanging out with campaign donors and special interests,” McCreight said. “He just doesn’t do the job. He’s very unknown, especially in Bay Ridge.”
There was a moment of animosity between McCreight and a man on the street who was lambasting Democrats and asking why they were against fracking. When McCreight replied with a tongue in cheek comment, saying “because we like clean water,” the man told him he was “fucking stupid.” However, shortly before this brief altercation, a voter shook McCreight’s hand and told him, “We love you, I’m definitely voting for you.” – Shenal Tissera
2:15 p.m. – Lander feeling confident as he campaigns with DeCillis and McCreight
Former New York City comptroller and current Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was outside of the 10th Congressional District, where he is the heavy favorite, canvassing for Assembly candidate Chris McCreight and congressional candidate Mike DeCillis in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Since Lander is not facing a serious challenge from his Republican opponent, Jennifer Moore, who he said he barely knows, he was able to stump for his Democratic colleagues.
“I still have not met, or met anyone who has met, my Republican opponent,” Lander said. “So that gives me a little leeway to come out here and help Mike and other candidates.”
Lander defeated Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in the primary election this summer to become the Democratic nominee for a district that represents Park Slope, Sunset Park and lower Manhattan. DeCillis is facing an uphill battle to unseat Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, while McCreight is one of several Democrats in southern Brooklyn trying to flip a Republican seat, held by Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, without much help from the Brooklyn Democratic Party. – Shenal Tissera
1:50 p.m. – Democrats unite to campaign for southern Brooklyn candidates
Democratic congressional candidate Mike DeCillis and Assembly candidate Chris McCreight had a lot of political firepower supporting them outside a polling site in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Fellow Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, Assembly Members Grace Lee and Robert Carroll along with state Sen. Andrew Gounardes were all campaigning together and talking to voters as they stood across from canvassers for Republican Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny and Republican state Senate candidate Tom Stanten.
The energy was high for DeCillis and McCreight among the gaggle of Democratic politicians canvassing for them. They all expressed optimism for the two candidates and the rest of the Democratic slate.
“I’m really excited about these candidates, and it would be so great if we could defeat Nicole Malliotakis,” Lander said. “I just really respect how hard they’re working in turf that is not always seen as easy for Democrats but where families are fed up with high prices, with corruption, with a president who is a sociopath.”
DeCillis and McCreight were feeling optimistic about their chances against their respective opponents, but DeCillis has the larger hill to climb to claim victory and hoped his circumstances mirrored Lander’s easy path to victory today.
“Obviously, we’re in different situations. Kind of wish I had that, but at the same time, I appreciate his help,” DeCillis said.
DeCillis will presumably win a larger share of the vote in Brooklyn, where he is currently talking to voters, compared to his likely share of support on Staten Island, but Malliotakis won a majority of votes in both boroughs in her 2024 race against Andrea Morse. – Shenal Tissera
1:30 p.m. – Westchester County’s ballot scanners are starting to work again
The state Board of Elections released a statement saying staff had identified a programming update that never got pushed as the problem with voting machines in Westchester. Per the board, the update was needed in all the machines after pre-Election Day preparation and testing already took place due to an issue with one particular hyperlocal race. Machines used for early voting and in the specific municipality got the update. The rest of the Election Day machines did not, and the old programming prevented them from scanning ballots.
“Importantly, the affected scanners rejected ballots they could not properly recognize rather than incorrectly tabulate them,” the state board said in a statement. “Every valid vote will be counted, and the established canvass, re-canvass, and post-election audit procedures will remain in place. Accuracy will never be sacrificed for speed.”
County Executive Ken Jenkins, a Democrat, also provided an update Tuesday afternoon. He said the county Board of Elections is working to get at least one scanner back online at every polling place across the county, starting in northern Westchester. Some scanners were already back online in Tarrytown and Yonkers as well, he said – but there’s still a long way to go.
Voting never stopped, and everybody who went to the polls was still able to cast a ballot. As of about 11 a.m., about 57,000 people had cast ballots that needed to be treated as emergency ballots, Jenkins said. That means those ballots, and many that have been cast since, will not be counted until after 9 p.m. tonight, Jenkins said, noting that is typical for those considered emergency ballots.
This could prove an annoying issue in the 17th Congressional District, where Rep. Mike Lawler and Democrat Cait Conley are locked in one of the most closely watched congressional races of the cycle as Democrats look to take back the House.
Given 40% of the district vote comes from Westchester, the counting issue means we may very well not have definitive results tonight in one of the most competitive House races in the country – though Jenkins emphasized every vote will be counted.
It also means that a large swath of the district’s Democratic base could very well not be counted tonight, so Lawler’s numbers today could look a bit artificially high. However, thanks to early voting – and the conventional wisdom that Democrats are more likely to vote early than Republicans – the sticker shock could be a little less intense for Cait Conley.
More than 120,800 people voted early in Westchester (which is decidedly NOT upstate). It’s one of just three counties outside New York City to break 100,000 early votes cast. – Sophie Krichevsky and Rebecca C. Lewis
12 p.m. – Joseph Hernandez said the elections will surprise people
Republican state Comptroller candidate Joseph Hernandez was optimistic about his chances while campaigning with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis outside Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
“Independents and Democrats, especially older Democrats, don’t like what’s going on in the DSA and the current Democratic trajectory,” Hernandez said. “I think we’re going to do really well. I think we’re going to surprise the state and I think we’re going to save the state because it needs to be saved.”
In terms of his race, he was complimentary of his opponent, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, saying he was a nice guy and that, “everybody likes Tom,” but that his penchant for niceties is not suitable for the position.
“This role requires that you ruffle feathers,” Hernandez said. “You’re supposed to be the watchdog. You’re supposed to be a little more aggressive and he hasn’t been. It’s been 20 years.”
Hernandez plans to visit other sites in Brooklyn before heading to Westchester County and ending the day in Nassau County on Long Island. – Shenal Tissera
11:50 a.m. – Malliotakis confident about her chances
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis had absolutely no worries about her chances against Democrat Mike DeCillis when asked about her race as she stood outside a polling place in Bay Ridge, joined by Republican candidate for state Comptroller, Joseph Hernandez, and chair of the Conservative Party of New York State, Gerard Kassar.
“We delivered for Staten Island and Brooklyn and I believe the people are gonna reward us with a big victory tonight,” Malliotakis said.
She also didn’t seem to be fazed by the prospect of a blue wave affecting her odds of winning or the margin of a potential victory – as she decried Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the rise of socialism.
“This district is unhappy with Governor Hochul, they did not vote for her last time. They’re unhappy with Zohran Mamdani, they did not vote for him last year,” Malliotakis said. “They’re really tired of people trying to push us into a socialist form of government and they’re gonna express that very clearly tonight.”
The Brooklyn portion of her district has historically been less supportive of her compared to the larger section in Staten Island. Malliotakis said it was a quiet day across the several Brooklyn poll sites she visited, and she was planning to head back to the island to talk to more voters. – Shenal Tissera
11:43 a.m. – “Well … it’s government”: Machine difficulties aren’t stopping Westchester voters
This Westchester County polling site was rather calm this morning, despite the news of out-of-order ballot machines countywide.
Voter Saba Jearld had a “smooth” experience and became aware of the situation via local news earlier in the day. “They did mention that there were some issues with the thickness of the ballots, and that we might not be able to use the machine, so I was prepared and I feel comfortable with this,” she said.
Other voters found out as they arrived, and were unnerved. “I think it’s a problem. … How are they going (to count the votes)?” said one voter named Janet, who declined to give her last name. “It’s got to be absolutely 100% trustworthy – that’s not an easy thing, and there’s thousands of them. I don’t know how something like that could happen. It’s not the first time people have voted on machines.”
Voter Sandra Gruenberg found her voting experience “comical,” and like many others, doesn’t fully understand the issue. “I figured, oh God, well it’s government, and that’s what happens. And they had early voting here, and it worked then. So why doesn’t it work now?” she asked. Gruenberg was “a little leery” of the process but hopes it will all be OK. – Nila Roper
11:40 a.m. – Don't forget it’s ... primary day??
The state Democratic Party sent out an email to supporters erroneously reminding them that today is primary day. City & State can in fact confirm that it is not primary day, but the day of the general election. - Rebecca C. Lewis
11:30 a.m. – A long way from the primary
Without any competitive races on the ballot, it’s been a bit quiet in deep blue Park Slope – a far cry from five months ago when former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Rep. Dan Goldman went head to head to represent the 10th Congressional district. Lander ultimately defeated the Democratic incumbent with an unexpectedly comfortable margin, wracking up deep numbers in his home neighborhood of Park Slope, but both campaigns had been out in force during the June primary. This time around, a slow trickle of voters passed into P.S. 272 to cast their ballots. Kids and their parents snagged donuts from a folding table set outside of the school.
“It’s mostly just been people from the neighborhood coming to vote,” said Kelly Viselman, joined by her dog Lou, who was one of two volunteers passing out information guides from the Working Families Party near the poll site. “But a lot of people are enthusiastic.” – Sahalie Donaldson
11 a.m. - Hochul brushes off Valdez's non endorsement
Gov. Kathy Hochul talked with voters in Sunnyside with Rep. Nydia Velázquez, greeting voters, kids and dogs alike. Starting in January, the congressional district is all but guaranteed to shift hands to democratic socialist Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who beat Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso – Hochul's and Velázquez's preferred candidate. But in a June interview with journalist Christopher Alvarez reposted earlier this morning – and later deleted – Valdez said she’s choosing not to endorse in the governor’s race, despite her close ally New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backing Hochul early. He has also stumped with the governor the last two weekends.
Hochul brushed off the snub by the DSA darling. "She's making her own decision, that's fine with me," the governor told reporters. "I didn't endorse her either."
Velázquez, who was livid when Mamdani backed Valdez over Reynoso earlier this year, offered a shrug in response. "It's her right and her choice," the outgoing member of Congress said.
After this post was initially published, a spokesperson for the Valdez campaign did, however, confirm that Valdez voted for Hochul during early voting on the Working Families Party line. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Editor's note: This post has been updated to clarify Alvarez's interview with Valdez was conducted in June.
10:30 a.m. – After casting ballot, SUNY chancellor says Legislature must strengthen state rape laws
It was a calm Election Day morning in downtown Albany – as voters like State University of New York Chancellor John King cast their ballot in the capital city’s Center Square neighborhood.
King was tight-lipped about who he voted for, but gave a subtle nod to Gov. Kathy Hochul at the top of the statewide ticket, who has increased state aid for the public higher education system. After voting, King told City & State he supports Hochul and the Legislature strengthening the state’s rape laws in wake of national outrage sparked by an alleged gang rape that took place at Cornell University in 2024.
After the case sparked national outrage last month, Hochul vowed she’d work with state lawmakers to change the law to make it easier to prosecute sex crimes, including closing the existing voluntary intoxication loophole. Current law makes it difficult to prosecute sex crimes when a victim willingly chooses to consume drugs or alcohol before sexual assault takes place.
King said he’s fully in favor of lawmakers passing the bill that would close the loophole.
“I support the governor’s view that the law needs to change,” he said. “We are lucky in New York that we have a very strong state law and we have a very strong commitment at SUNY to making sure that our campuses are safe for students and that we promote a culture of being upstanders, not just bystanders. I think the Cornell incident has caused every higher ed campus to ask ‘what more can we do to prevent sexual violence?’”
King also said he’s got Election Day jitters about which party will win control of Congress – and admitted excitement about the prospect of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries becoming speaker of the House if Democrats take back the majority.
“He’s a very proud SUNY Binghamton alum,” King said of Jeffries. “It’s not partisan, theoretically (to support Jeffries), just pro Binghamton.” – Kate Lisa
9:48 a.m. – Consistent turnout in key Buffalo suburb
Consistent turnout is being seen at a precinct that sits in the heart of the Gov. Kathy Hochul’s old congressional district in the Buffalo suburb of East Amherst.
As of 9:30 a.m., the polling place at the East Amherst Fire Department has had a consistent stream of voters coming in and out. David Duran, who has voted at the fire hall for a number of years, told City & State that the turnout was higher than he has normally seen for an Election Day morning in a nonpresidential year.
Duran said there were 22 cars in the parking lot when he arrived and six people ahead of him waiting to vote. He said the number remained consistent the entire time he was there.
East Amherst is a hamlet in the town of Amherst, an approximately 130,000-person upper-middle-class Buffalo suburb that is a powerhouse community in its own right and the home of the University at Buffalo’s largest campus. Amherst was a purple community until recent years when Democrats captured every office covering the town.
Democratic Assembly Member Karen McMahon’s district includes Amherst, and she is locked in a race against Republican retired Army Lt. Col. Terry McGuire. – John Celock
9:24 a.m. – A Blakeman/DeCillis voter
Staten Island voter Christina Sans, 64, who was raised in Queens, voted for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman and Democratic congressional candidate Mike DeCillis on her ballot. She said her upbringing and her relationship with her father, whom she revered, was why she voted the way she did. She didn’t know much about Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who represents the 11th Congressional District, and said she hasn’t seen her much throughout the district. However, she was rooting for Republicans to win throughout the country, so the $5,000 check President Donald Trump promised would come through. – Shenal Tissera
9:07 a.m. – Blakeman predicts a narrow victory
After voting, Bruce Blakeman predicts a 4-point victory for himself over Gov. Hochul, 52%-48%
— Rebecca C. Lewis (@_rebeccaclewis) November 3, 2026
Republican gubernatorial candidate and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman cast a vote for himself this morning at his poll site in the village of Atlantic Beach. He predicted he would beat his opponent, Gov. Kathy Hochul, by 4 percentage points. The latest public polls have all shown Hochul ahead by a double-digit margin. – Rebecca C. Lewis
8:32 a.m. – A dull morning in Manhattan
Five months ago, volunteers for Jack Schlossberg, Alex Bores and Micah Lasher battled for curb space outside a popular poll site at P.S. 75 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, making a last pitch to voters in their competitive Democratic congressional primary. Assembly candidate Eli Northrup pitched up at a bodega across the street, and Bores and Lasher themselves took turns doing media hits nearby soon after.
Today, that corner of West 95th Street and West End Avenue played host to a poll site bake sale and interviews for “The Daily Show” with correspondent Grace Kuhlenschmidt.
This UWS corner was one of the busiest of the headline-grabbing NY-12 primary. Campaigns battled for curb space. Now it’s hosting a pollsite bake sale and a Daily Show standup. One q I overheard: Who will be the next James Bond? https://t.co/vqFgCLfnco
— Annie McDonough (@Annie_McDonough) November 3, 2026
Attention, to say the least, is elsewhere this Election Day.
Lasher, now the Democratic nominee for the congressional district facing a long-shot Republican challenger, didn’t have any Upper West Side visibility planned for the morning. (Though he has been out and about campaigning for Gov. Kathy Hochul.)
Voters, meanwhile, still streamed into the polls, with one poll worker at P.S. 75 noting how busy they’d been this morning. – Annie McDonough
8:30 a.m. – Scanners are down in Westchester
It’s an Election Day nightmare for Westchester County – the machines that scan completed ballots are down across the county, according to reports from across the suburban county.
Voters are still marking paper ballots as usual, but they’re not getting instantly counted, like usual – which could mean delayed results in this portion of the closely watched 17th Congressional District race between GOP Rep. Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley.
“Every ballot will be counted. Stay on line and vote. Do not leave the polling place without voting,” Lawler posted on X.
State Attorney General Letitia James, whose office monitors elections in New York, also said she was monitoring the issue. The Westchester County Board of Elections didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Westchester has more Democratic voters than other parts of the 17th District – something to keep in mind if results are posted unevenly tonight, after the polls close at 9 p.m. – Jeff Coltin
Nov. 1 – Hochul, AOC and Mamdani walk into a bar
On the final day of early voting before Election Day, Gov. Kathy Hochul opted for familiar territory: watching the Buffalo Bills game, and hitting diners in deep-blue neighborhoods. But there was a brand new twist – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined her on the campaign trail for the first time this cycle. Meanwhile, Hochul’s Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, spent the day outside the five boroughs in a statewide blitz ending with a rally in the Capital Region. Read more here.
– Rebecca C. Lewis, Kate Lisa and Jeff Coltin
Oct. 26 – State legislative general election races to watch
Unlike during primary season in New York, when many hot state legislative contests are in New York City or elsewhere downstate, the most tightly contested races in November are taking place in many different areas of the state. And those races come with a variety of dynamics, be it varying demographics or stronger coattails from the top of the ticket. With Republicans unlikely to gain a majority in either chamber anytime soon, a lot of the intrigue in this year’s races is about where Democrats can make inroads in an expected “blue wave” election – and whether they can once again secure a supermajority in the state Senate. Here are the state legislative races we’ll be keeping an eye on. Read more here.
– Rebecca C. Lewis, Kate Lisa and Sahalie Donaldson
Oct. 19 – Why did Bruce Blakeman go 100% MAGA?
Once a prototypical Long Island Republican moderate, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has leaned into his closeness to Donald Trump in recent years, modeling his political style after the combative president. Blakeman has taken lessons from Trump’s bombastic rhetorical style and become a leading conservative figure on culture war issues and public safety, creating what has been criticized as an armed civilian militia and agreeing to establish a first-in-the-nation ban on trans women athletes competing on women’s teams at county facilities. Read more here.
– Rebecca C. Lewis
Oct. 19 – Congressional general election races to watch
Could 2026 be another “blue wave”? The answer could very well be found in New York. From the wealthiest enclaves of Long Island to the remote reaches of Northern New York, control of the House of Representatives will likely come down to a couple dozen battleground districts, including a few in the Empire State. That includes some of the tightest toss-ups, such as Republican Rep. Mike Lawler’s precarious bid to hold onto his Lower Hudson Valley seat, and Democrats’ attempts to do the same in a couple of mercurial Long Island districts. But if there are common themes to these competitive seats – the Trump factor, the copious outside spending, a steady stream of opposition research – they each hold their own eccentricities and colorful characters. City & State broke down everything you need to know about the most competitive congressional general election races in New York. Read more here.