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90 percent of New York City votes democrats

Checked on November 21, 2025
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Executive summary

The claim "90 percent of New York City votes Democrats" is not supported by the available election reporting about the 2025 New York City mayoral race: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani won the general election with roughly half the vote (reported as 50.4% in one source) and turnout patterns show a competitive multi‑candidate race rather than a 90% Democratic sweep [1] [2]. Citywide elections are described as "solidly Democratic" in party registration terms, but the actual general‑election results and precinct analyses show much narrower margins and variation across neighborhoods [3] [4].

1. What the data in major outlets actually show: a Democratic win, not 90%

Contemporary news outlets that reported the 2025 NYC mayoral outcome describe a clear Democratic victory for Zohran Mamdani, with coverage noting he was "elected mayor" and winning the general election over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa; the Wikipedia summary lists Mamdani at 50.4% of the vote [2] [1]. Associated Press, PBS, NBC and The New York Times coverage focused on turnout patterns and demographic splits, not any single‑party share approaching 90% [5] [2] [4].

2. Why “New York City is Democratic” is partly true — registration vs. votes

Analysts and encyclopedic summaries repeatedly note that "city‑wide elections in New York City are solidly Democratic," meaning the Democratic nominee is often the favorite in general elections [3]. That structural advantage reflects voter registration and party lean, but it does not translate into single‑candidate general‑election shares of 90% in reported results; Mamdani’s victory margin and precinct‑level maps show much more nuance [3] [4].

3. Multi‑candidate races and third‑party/independent runs lower party share

The 2025 general election included not only a Democratic nominee but also independent and Republican contenders — former governor Andrew Cuomo ran as an independent and Curtis Sliwa as the Republican — and even an incumbent who briefly ran as an independent; such contests disperse votes across lines and make a 90% Democratic share implausible and not reflected in reporting [5] [6] [7].

4. Turnout, demography and precinct variation matter

National and local reporting emphasized record or high turnout in 2025 and differences by age and neighborhood: for example, about three‑quarters of NYC voters under 30 supported Mamdani according to an AP voter survey, while older voters leaned more toward Cuomo — showing that demographic splits produced varied vote shares by area rather than uniform 90% support for Democrats [8] [4]. Precinct‑level results and post‑primary cast‑vote records also demonstrate geographic variation across boroughs and districts [4] [9] [10].

5. Where a “90%” figure might come from — not in these sources

The provided sources do not contain any statement that 90% of New York City votes Democratic in the 2025 mayoral general election or primary; they instead provide specific vote shares (e.g., ~50.4% for Mamdani in general, 56.4% in the Democratic ranked‑choice primary final round) and turnout data [1] [3]. Available sources do not mention a 90% figure as a citywide election result or as a reliable statistic [1] [3].

6. How to interpret party dominance vs. election outcomes — competing viewpoints

One perspective (noted in encyclopedic summaries and political analysis) is that New York City's partisan registration advantage makes the Democratic nomination tantamount to victory in many races — an institutional explanation for why analysts treat the Democratic primary as decisive [3]. A competing viewpoint reflected in news coverage stresses that general elections still produce meaningful competition when strong independents or Republicans run and when demographic shifts alter turnout — results and precinct maps show these dynamics [4] [2].

7. Bottom line and recommended next steps for verification

Bottom line: reporting on the 2025 NYC mayoral race does not support the statement that "90 percent of New York City votes Democrats"; instead, it documents a Democratic victory with roughly half the vote in a three‑way general election and substantial precinct and demographic variation [1] [2] [4]. If you want a definitive, citeable citywide party vote percentage, consult the certified New York City Board of Elections results page or the AP/NYT precinct totals for the specific contest and year (NYC Board of Elections and AP result pages are listed among the sources) [11] [12].

Want to dive deeper?
What percentage of New York City voters registered as Democrats in 2024 and how has it changed over time?
How do party registration and actual vote share in NYC differ in mayoral, gubernatorial, and presidential elections?
Which NYC boroughs and neighborhoods have the highest and lowest Democratic voting rates?
How do independents and other parties influence election outcomes in heavily Democratic NYC?
What factors explain strong Democratic dominance in New York City (demographics, policy preferences, turnout)?