Older voters dominate early turnout

Voters aged 55 and above now represent just over 50 % of early-voting turnout—quite the shift from the June primary, where younger voters (ages 25-34) made up nearly a quarter of early votes. In this cycle, that age group accounts for only about 16 % of early votes. Gothamist

Political scientists believe these numbers could benefit Andrew Cuomo—the 67-year-old former governor running as an independent. Recent polling from Quinnipiac University showed Cuomo tied with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani among voters aged 50-54, and ahead by four points among those over 65. Gothamist

Will younger voters return?

Expert commentary raises concern about whether the younger electorate—so pivotal in the primary—will show up in similar numbers this time. Political scientist Laura Tamman noted the difficulty in predicting turnout in off-year municipal elections, asking: “Are the young people who were so excited going to come back?” Gothamist

Campaigns respond

The Cuomo camp interpreted the early turnout numbers as encouraging, framing it as a signal of voter dissatisfaction with what they described as “a socialist experiment with a diminished police force, no jails, decriminalized prostitution and a weakened education system.” Gothamist

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s campaign has doubled down on grassroots efforts: a massive door-to-door outreach pushing volunteers to knock on 150,000 doors in just one week. The campaign also held a major rally featuring Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, Bernie Sanders and Kathy Hochul. Gothamist

Spotlight on neighborhoods

Certain neighborhoods are seeing particularly strong engagement. City Council districts on Manhattan’s Upper West and Upper East Sides recorded the highest early-voting turnout. That contrasts with the primary, where neighborhoods in Brooklyn such as Park Slope, Kensington, Clinton Hill and Crown Heights were hotspots. Gothamist

One voter in Crown Heights, 54-year-old Sandie Green, said she researched the candidates thoroughly and wanted a leader who would “help protect the city from President Donald Trump.” Gothamist

What this means

This shift in demographics could influence campaign strategies and outcomes in meaningful ways. The dominance of older voters may favour more traditional or moderate platforms. At the same time, campaigns that counted on younger voters returning in large numbers may need to reassess. The question remains: can the surge in early voting translate into sustained momentum through Election Day?