Two new polls released this week show Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani holding a substantial lead over his rivals with fewer than two months until New York City's general election.
The Quinnipiac University survey, conducted Sept. 4–8, found Mamdani with 45% support among likely city voters, compared with 23% for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 15% for Republican Curtis Sliwa and 12% for incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent. A New York Times/Siena College poll taken Sept. 2–6 similarly showed Mamdani with a dominant margin over Cuomo, reporting a roughly 46%–24% split in that survey.
"In a mayoral race that seems to grow more intense by the day, Zohran Mamdani has the wind at his back less than two months until Election Day," Quinnipiac poll assistant director Mary Snow said in a statement accompanying the university's results.
Both surveys explored head-to-head scenarios and voter enthusiasm. Quinnipiac found Mamdani supporters reported higher enthusiasm (91%) than backers of Cuomo (75%), Adams (75%) or Sliwa (79%). That poll also offered a three-way hypothetical in which, if Adams withdrew, Mamdani led Cuomo 46%–30% with Sliwa at 17%. The New York Times/Siena poll showed a narrower two-candidate matchup in which Mamdani edged Cuomo 48%–44%.
The polls said voters ranked crime and affordable housing among their top concerns; Quinnipiac reported 30% named crime as the most pressing issue, 21% cited affordable housing and 13% cited inflation. Just over two-thirds of likely voters said they were dissatisfied with the direction of the city, and roughly two-thirds disapproved of Adams's performance as mayor.
Mamdani, 33, is a Queens state lawmaker and self-identified democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary in June, defeating Cuomo and nine other contenders. His campaign has emphasized affordability and the high cost of living in New York City and advanced proposals such as eliminating bus fares, making City University of New York tuition-free, freezing rents on municipal housing, providing universal childcare up to age 5 and establishing city-run grocery stores. National progressive figures including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders backed his primary bid.
If elected, Mamdani would be the first Muslim and the first millennial mayor of New York City; he was born in Uganda and grew up in the city.
Cuomo, the former two-term governor who resigned in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is pursuing a general election run as an independent after losing the Democratic primary. Sliwa, the Guardian Angels co-founder, is the Republican nominee for a second straight cycle. Adams, who forwent the Democratic primary amid weak polling, launched an independent re-election campaign in June. Reports in recent weeks said advisers to former President Donald Trump floated possible administration roles to encourage Sliwa or Adams to exit the race; Trump publicly urged a narrowing of the field, saying last week he would like to see "two people drop out" to create a one-on-one contest.
The two polls were released as the Nov. 4 general election approaches and underscore a contest in which voter enthusiasm and issue priorities appear central to each campaign's strategy. Both surveys provide snapshots of voter preferences at a moment when the race remains fluid and multiple candidates have signaled they will remain on the ballot through Election Day.
