In 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, a democratic socialist of Islamic faith, originally from the Indian peninsula, became the optimal target for differentiation in New York City. Today, he stands as the Mayor of the U.S.A.’s largest city, voted in by a decisive majority of 50.4%, with the largest number of votes for a candidate since the 1960s. Given the general trend of political apathy in recent years and that the last mayoral election for NYC had a turnout of around 1.1 million voters, this election has been nothing short of impressive for the city.

This time last year, the name Zohran Mamdani was largely unknown to the general public. A Shia Muslim with Indian parents, born and raised in Uganda, Mamdani moved to NYC at the age of seven, later graduating from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Africana studies. Clearly, his profile does not match the ones of previous mayors. His victory makes him the first Muslim and the first South Asian mayor of NYC, along with being the youngest mayor since 1892, at the age of 34. So how did the election really pan out?

Mamdani’s closest competitor was independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, who resigned from his position as the governor of New York in 2021 based on sexual misconduct allegations from 13 women. President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, publicly backed Cuomo in the race, stating on Truth Social, "Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does a fantastic job." In contrast to Mamdani’s campaign of $13.1 million raised in public funds, owing to donations and public matching, Cuomo’s massive $30 million+ campaign included independent contributions from hedge-fund billionaire Bill Ackman, Fox News cofounder Barry Diller, and many more heirs and ultra-rich, including endorsements from Elon Musk and Trump (as reported by the New York City Campaign Finance Board). This eagerness to contribute to Cuomo’s potential victory comes in light of Mamdani’s proposal of a 5.9% income tax on residents who are making more than a million dollars a year. Nevertheless, Cuomo’s 41.6% of all votes was not enough to help him regain the position.

The analysis of the electoral results showed that Cuomo received his votes primarily from Jewish-majority areas in NYC, as well as upper-income regions like the Upper East Side. In contrast, Mamdani garnered the majority of his votes from low-income renters in each borough, as well as Muslim, Latino, South Asian, and other minority communities from the rest of the city. This diverse voter base can be attributed to his unique campaigning strategy, which mainly took place on Instagram and TikTok, where he personally showed up during night shifts, at grocery hauls, on the streets, and in homes alike, with catchy slogans, campaign ideas such as cycling marathons with voters, and an active on-ground presence. Additionally, Mamdani has been adamant about five main changes he wishes to make to New York since the start of his campaign:

All in all, this constitutes a democratic socialist approach that many have been skeptical of. However, the voter turnout suggests otherwise, reflecting that what the city’s people want is more affordable and secure housing and transportation for their daily use, irrespective of their political leanings.

Yet it seems as though getting elected from obscurity was the easier half of the mayoral journey for Mamdani. In October, the New York Police Department released figures showing a 35% rise in police officer departures from the department, owing to their insecurity about Mamdani’s outspoken beliefs against law enforcement. Additionally, Mamdani has won the election based on his public critique of NYC’s elite, but realistically, it is those very elite who constructed Manhattan from the ground up. Hence, making peace with their presence will be something the new mayor will have to face, should he wish to succeed in implementing his policies. Promises of free transportation, child care, and rent freezing require higher taxes and federal funding. Donald Trump hasalready stated that if Mamdani was elected, the White House would only give the bare minimum to NYC, to avoid exploitation by a ‘communist’. This Trumpist labeling of Mamdani as a communist-socialist will diminish the funds the mayor is expected to receive, reducing his ability to enact his policies.

It is both with hope for a more affordable city and fear of what is to come that the residents of New York look forward to Mamdani’s inauguration on Jan. 1, 2026.