- Democratic mayoral winner Zohran Mamdani, known for criticizing ‘Israel’, secured approximately one-third (33%) of the Jewish vote in the 2025 New York City election.
- The split vote highlighted rifts in the city’s Jewish community, with independent Andrew Cuomo capturing the majority (63%) of the Jewish vote overall.
Exit polls from the 2025 New York City mayoral election revealed that approximately one-third of Jewish voters supported Democratic winner Zohran Mamdani, despite his vocal criticism of ‘Israel’.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman and the first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect, secured 33% of the Jewish vote, according to CNN exit poll.
This support helped propel him to victory with over 50% of the overall vote, defeating independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
The election saw record turnout exceeding 2 million votes citywide, nearly double the 2021 figure and the highest since 1969, as reported by The New York Times and CBS News.
With about 15% of respondents identifying as Jewish in exit polls, this demographic played a notable role in the race, amid heightened sensitivities over “antisemitism” and Middle East policy.
Jewish Voting Breakdown
Cuomo, the former governor running as an independent, captured 63% of the Jewish vote overall, dominating heavily in Orthodox neighborhoods like Borough Park and Crown Heights, where he won up to 80% in some precincts.
Sliwa garnered just 3%, highlighting Cuomo’s appeal as a centrist alternative for voters concerned about Mamdani’s progressive stance on issues like police reform and Palestine.
Despite Cuomo’s stronghold in traditional Jewish enclaves, Mamdani’s share came from more progressive and secular Jewish voters in areas like Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, where his focus on affordability and social justice resonated.
This split underscored generational and ideological rifts within New York’s Jewish community, the largest outside ‘Israel’ with roughly 2.1 million residents.
Based on the polls and turnout data, an estimated 315,000 Jewish New Yorkers voted in the election, representing 15% of the total ballots cast.
Of these, around 104,000 are projected to have backed Mamdani, a figure that surprised analysts given pre-election tensions over his ‘Israel’ views.
Jewish leaders expressed mixed reactions, with groups like the Anti-Defamation League voicing concerns about Mamdani’s record, while others praised his victory speech pledge to combat antisemitism and collaborate with community figures.
The Jerusalem Post noted that while Cuomo “dominated” Jewish areas, Mamdani’s inroads signal evolving priorities among younger voters.
