(MENAFN) Residents of New York are heading to the polls on Tuesday for a fiercely competitive mayoral contest.

Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. local time (1100GMT) and will remain open until 9 p.m. (0200GMT Wednesday).

Early voting occurred from Oct. 25 through Nov. 2, during which over 735,000 ballots were submitted, establishing a new city record, according to the New York City Board of Elections.

At the forefront of the election is Democratic contender Zohran Mamdani, 34, who was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents and grew up in New York starting at age seven. If victorious, he would make history as the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor.

Mamdani, a self-declared democratic socialist, has conducted a campaign centered on affordability and public services. His proposals include free public buses, universal childcare, city-operated grocery stores, rent-stabilized housing, and a plan to raise the minimum wage from $16.50 to $30 per hour by 2030.

He has stated that these initiatives would be funded by increasing the corporate tax rate to 11.5%—matching that of neighboring New Jersey—and implementing a 2% income tax on individuals earning over $1 million annually.

Additionally, Mamdani has vowed that he would direct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the city, citing the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Challenging him are former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, a conservative community activist and radio talk show host.

Cuomo is participating as an Independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June.

Since then, he has presented himself as the candidate best suited to lead the city, emphasizing decades of public service, including his tenure as governor during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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