New York City voters go to the polls on Tuesday to choose between Governor Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, after more than 690,000 New York City voters cast ballots during early voting, up from more than 432,000 in the 2022 governor's race.
Both candidates spent the weekend criss-crossing the state to urge voters to the polls. Blakeman campaigned across the city and Long Island, telling backers at a rally in Middle Village, Queens, on Saturday that "help is on the way." "I feel like a winner," he told THE CITY in the days before the vote. Hochul was joined by Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the Queens Night Market on Saturday and watched a Buffalo Bills game with him and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a bar in Astoria on Sunday. "When you're focusing on affordability and what we can do to help lift up New Yorkers, that is the message that is resonating," she said during the game.
Hochul, a Democrat, is hoping not just for a win but for a more definitive victory than the one she eked out four years ago, focusing on affordability amid cost-of-living increases. Blakeman, a Republican, has positioned himself as the savior of a state he says is overrun by crime and sky-high taxes.
A late October poll by Marist University found Hochul up 11 points against Blakeman, with 4 percent of voters undecided, while a Siena University poll had her ahead by 14 points. An October Quinnipiac University poll found the economy and cost of living was the biggest issue for voters, a theme running through advertising from both campaigns, with Blakeman focusing on cost increases during Hochul's tenure.
The race, and the size of Hochul's possible margin, will be closely watched by Mamdani and his team as they prepare to press the next governor to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund housing and childcare in the city.
At the Middle Village rally, Juan Nieves, 32, a US Army soldier, said his top priority was safety, and that without law and order "we would have nothing." L. Joy Williams, president of the New York State NAACP Conference of Branches, said affordability was the biggest issue "across the board." "I don't think it matters in terms of race, ethnicity," she said. "Even though wealthier people are making money hand over fist, everybody else is not. That's what's driving people." Kristin de Guzman, a marketing strategist and small business owner who met Hochul outside the Chambers St. stop on Monday and had voted for her the day before, said: "I think she's done a great job. We care about the economy and affordability, like everybody on the planet."
Peter Kauffmann, a Democratic strategist, said Hochul's re-election campaign was notably stronger than her 2022 effort, with more emphasis on voters' concerns. "It's great to see that she's actually responding to issues that people care about, she seems really focused," he said. Hochul's relationship with Mamdani had energized her campaign, even as Blakeman tried to use it against her: "I think they will continue to govern well with one another."
Further down the ballot, Attorney General Letitia James is seeking re-election against Republican Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, with recent polling showing James ahead by at least 15 percentage points. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli faces Republican Joseph Hernandez, who ran for New York City mayor last year. City voters will also decide five ballot proposals that the mayor says would, if passed, cut bureaucracy around how the city builds bike and bus lanes, contracts with small businesses and sells and leases some properties.
Nationally, Democrats are hoping to reclaim the House of Representatives and the Senate, with pivotal races in states including Texas, Maine and Michigan, and the rising cost of living also an issue. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found 25 percent of polled adults approved of how President Donald Trump was handling the economy, down from 32 percent in July.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The governor's race is the first statewide test of how far affordability messaging carries a Democrat in a high-cost state, and the size of Hochul's margin will shape how much room she has to resist or accommodate Mayor Zohran Mamdani's push to raise taxes on high earners.
- New York's results land in the same week as pivotal congressional races elsewhere, and both parties will read them as a signal on cost-of-living politics ahead of the national count.
- City voters are also deciding five ballot proposals on how the city builds bike and bus lanes, contracts with small businesses and sells or leases property, measures the mayor says would cut bureaucracy.
Background
Kathy Hochul became New York's governor in 2021 after Andrew Cuomo resigned, and won a full term in 2022 by a narrower margin than Democrats had expected in a state that leans heavily Democratic. Bruce Blakeman is the county executive of Nassau County on Long Island, a Republican-held post in a suburban county that has been competitive in recent statewide races. Affordability and the cost of living have been the dominant themes of the 2026 campaign nationally, with both parties targeting voters who feel their wages have not kept pace with prices.
Key Perspectives
Kathy Hochul: says her focus on affordability is the message "resonating," and campaigned with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the final weekend.
Bruce Blakeman: has positioned himself as the savior of a state he says is overrun by crime and sky-high taxes, telling a Queens rally that "help is on the way" and that he feels "like a winner."
Peter Kauffmann, Democratic strategist: says Hochul's campaign is stronger and more responsive to voters' concerns than her 2022 effort, and that she and Mamdani will "continue to govern well with one another."
L. Joy Williams, New York State NAACP Conference of Branches: says affordability is the biggest issue "across the board," regardless of race or ethnicity, because wealthier people are prospering while "everybody else is not."
Juan Nieves, voter: says safety is his top priority, and that without law and order "we would have nothing."
Kristin de Guzman, voter and small business owner: says she voted for Hochul because she has "done a great job" on the economy and affordability.
What to Watch
- The size of Hochul's winning margin once city and statewide returns are counted, and whether it strengthens or weakens her position against Mamdani's tax proposals.
- The outcome of the five New York City ballot proposals on bike and bus lanes, small business contracting and city property.
- Whether Democrats win the House and Senate majorities they are contesting in Texas, Maine, Michigan and elsewhere, with two Brooklynites, Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, in line to lead Congress if they do.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedNew York City voters head to the polls after a surge in early voting in the Hochul-Blakeman race.THE CITY: “New York City voters head to the polls Tuesday after a surge in early voting”
- SupportedMore than 690,000 New York City voters cast early ballots, compared with more than 432,000 in the 2022 governor’s race.THE CITY: “More than 690,000 voters had cast their ballots in New York City since early voting opened Oct. 24, up from more than 432,000 in the 2022 governor’s race.”
- SupportedLate polls put Hochul ahead by double digits, with Marist showing an 11-point lead and Siena a 14-point lead.THE CITY: “A late October poll by Marist University found Hochul was up 11 points against Blakeman, with 4 percent of voters undecided. A Siena University poll had Hochul up 14 points.”
- SupportedAt a Saturday rally in Middle Village, Blakeman told supporters, “help is on the way.”THE CITY: “Blakeman campaigned throughout the city and Long Island, telling supporters at a rally Saturday in Middle Village in Queens that “help is on the way.””
- SupportedBlakeman told THE CITY, “I feel like a winner,” in the days before the election.THE CITY: ““I feel like a winner,” he told The City Reporter about the days heading up to Tuesday’s election.”
- SupportedHochul said during the game that affordability was the message resonating with voters.THE CITY: ““When you’re focusing on affordability and what we can do to help lift up New Yorkers, that is the message that is resonating,” Hochul said during the game.”
- SupportedKauffmann said Hochul’s re-election campaign was stronger than her 2022 effort and more focused on voter concerns.THE CITY: “Peter Kauffmann, a Democratic strategist, said Hochul’s re-election campaign was notably stronger than her 2022 effort, and with more emphasis on voter concerns.”
- Partly supportedKauffmann said Hochul and Mamdani would continue to govern well together.THE CITY: ““I think they will continue to govern well with one another,” Kauffmann said.”
- SupportedNieves said his top priority was safety and said, “we would have nothing” without law and order.THE CITY: “At Blakeman’s rally Saturday in Middle Village, U.S. Army soldier Juan Nieves, 32, said his top priority was safety. “I you don’t have law and order, we would have nothing,” he said.”
- SupportedWilliams said affordability was the biggest issue “across the board.”THE CITY: “L. Joy Williams, the president of the New York State NAACP Conference of Branches, said affordability is the biggest issue “across the board.””
- SupportedThe AP-NORC poll found 25% of polled adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 32% in July.THE CITY: “A recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found just 25% of polled adults approved of how President Donald Trump was handling the economy — down from 32% in July.”