More than 830,000 New Yorkers vote in mayoral primary despite blistering heat

More than 830,000 New Yorkers have voted in the city’s Democratic party mayoral primary, the city’s Board of Elections says.

The polls close in a few hours, at 9 p.m. local time.

The race will likely decide the next mayor of the mostly Democratic city, home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel.

Jewish issues and Israel have been a central focus in the race.

Polls show that the two leading contenders are the pro-Israel Andrew Cuomo, New York State’s former governor, and the anti-Zionist Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblymember from Queens.

Temperatures soar to around 100°F (38°C), marking the hottest day in the city since 2012.

The heat has played a role in the election. Mamdani’s supporters tend to be younger, according to polling, and are expected to turn out in the heat at higher numbers.

Cuomo pushed for accommodations such as bottled water and air conditioning at polling stations to encourage his older supporters to vote.

Turnout is highest in Brooklyn, the most populous borough, with more than 300,000 voters casting ballots.

More than 380,000 New Yorkers also cast ballots during the election’s early voting.

Turnout is set to be higher than the last mayoral primary, in 2021, when slightly more than 1 million voters participated.