AARP Hearing Center
The AARP 2025 New York City Mayoral Race Poll, conducted by the Siena College Research Institute between April 7 and April 10, 2025, has unveiled significant insights into the preferences and concerns of New York City's registered Democratic voters. The poll surveyed 811 registered voters, with a specific focus on 556 Democratic voters, and offers a view into voter sentiments ahead of the upcoming Democratic Primary on June 24, where voter turnout is likely to be high.
Nearly 90 percent of registered Democrats expect to vote in the primary, with 72 percent saying they are almost certain to vote and another 15 percent are very likely to vote. When asked about their first choice for Mayor in the primary election using ranked-choice voting, Andrew Cuomo is leading with 34 percent followed by Zohran Mamdani with 16 percent. However, with seven other candidates in the ranked choice election, Cuomo did not break the 50 percent threshold until the eighth round, and 20 percent were still undecided.
The survey also identified key issues that the next mayor will have to address, including housing affordability and the high cost of living. Housing affordability was identified as the one of the most serious problems for the city (68 percent), and increasing the supply of affordable housing was the top issue voters believe the next mayor needs to address (78 percent). The affordability of life in the city is also a very serious problem according to 72 percent of voters, and half (50 percent) said they would have to move to a more affordable location because they couldn’t afford to retire in the city. Consequently, the majority of voters (71 percent) think that developing programs to help New Yorkers to remain in their homes as they age should be a priority for the next mayor.
Other issues that voters identified as serious problems in the city include:
- Crime (79%)
- Pedestrian safety (77%)
- Availability of safety net social services (68%)
- Access to quality health services (66%)
The findings of the AARP 2025 New York City Mayoral Race Poll provide crucial insights into the preferences and concerns of Democratic voters, which will undoubtedly shape the upcoming primary elections and the future policy directions of New York City.
Methodology
This Siena College Poll, sponsored by AARP New York, was conducted April 7–10, 2025, among 811 registered voters in New York City. Of these, 556 identified as registered Democrats. The poll was conducted using a mix of landline, cell phone, and online interviews. The full methodology is available upon request.
For more information, contact Kate Bridges at kbridges@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.
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