New York City has experienced a substantial increase in early voter participation, with nearly 300,000 residents casting ballots in the first four days of the early voting period. This represents a nearly 72% jump in turnout compared to the same period during the last gubernatorial election in 2022, according to data from the city's Board of Elections.
From Saturday to Wednesday, 294,604 New Yorkers voted early, a figure that is just over 3,000 shy of the total early votes cast in last year's mayoral election. This early voting surge has provided more than 120,000 additional votes compared to the corresponding period in the 2022 gubernatorial race.
The Bronx has emerged as a leader in this increased turnout, with unofficial records showing over 30,000 early votes cast through Tuesday. This nearly doubles the borough's early voting numbers from the same point in 2022, when approximately 16,000 early votes were recorded. In that election, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul faced Republican Lee Zeldin.
Staten Island and Queens have also seen modest increases, with each borough reporting around 2,000 more early voters compared to the same point in the previous mayoral election. Manhattan and Brooklyn recorded approximately 82,000 and 86,000 early votes, respectively, during the first four days.
This high level of early voting is seen as potentially advantageous for Democratic candidates in New York City, a heavily Democratic area. Statewide, registered Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans, with approximately 6 million registered Democrats compared to 2.8 million registered Republicans, and 3.4 million unaffiliated voters, according to state Board of Elections data.
In the current election cycle, Gov. Hochul is running against Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman, and Attorney General Letitia James is facing Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy. Recent polling indicates Hochul holds a lead over Blakeman, while James also leads her Republican opponent. Early voting is scheduled to continue through Sunday, with Election Day polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on November 3.