Zohran Mamdani, a relatively unknown New York state assembly member, has secured a stunning victory in the Democratic mayoral primary, clearing his path to become the party's nominee for the November election. The 33-year-old Uganda-born Muslim, who identifies as a democratic socialist, clinched the nomination after the New York City Election board confirmed the ranked-choice voting results on Tuesday.
Mr Mamdani secured 56 per cent of votes in the third round of the ranked-choice system, where over 50 per cent is required for a winner. His triumph over veteran politician Andrew Cuomo, a moderate who garnered 44 per cent in the final tally, marks a significant shift in the city's political landscape. Mamdani reflected on his win in a video on X, stating: "We have always thought our victory would come after multiple rounds of ranked-choice voting. When we got more votes in the first round than Eric Adams got in the seven rounds in the last election, it was astonishing."
