By Saumya V.
For decades, the NYC mayoral elections have seen an overall decline in voters, especially amongst the youth. This past year saw record turnout from youth aged 18 to 29, who led the turnout. This contrasts greatly with data from 2021, when New Yorkers over the age of 60 made up a majority of voters.
Mamdani’s proposed policies are radical and speak to the youth, many of whom have been struggling financially to get by in the second most expensive city in the US. The 33-year-old assemblyman from Queens has proposed a rent freeze, city-owned grocery stores to allow working families access to healthy food, city buses free of charge to ride and community-based programs to manage the crisis of mental health and rise of violence and homelessness in the city.
Statistics show that many families with young children are leaving the city as childcare costs have skyrocketed. Mamdani’s campaign promises to also include free childcare and better working conditions and pay for childcare workers, exactly what young parents in their early thirties need in order to work full time jobs and raise children.
But most importantly, his victory in the primary elections has come about because of the hard work of thousands of youth who canvassed tirelessly and boosted his campaign’s visibility. This historic event occurred despite the statistics showing youth do not make up the majority NYC’s population. It proves that youth have the power to organize politically and shape electoral politics and mass movements even if they do not have numbers on their side. Many older adults have felt moved and convinced by the passion and vigor of the next generation. Polling data showed Andrew Cuomo’s lead on Mamdani shrinking among voters over 60. The youth not only have the power to organize amongst themselves, but also to shrink the generational divide between voters and unite voters of all ages.
Though the primary results favored Mamdani, the actual mayoral election has not occurred yet. Now it is crucial for NYC youth to push his campaign towards victory. Should Zohran become mayor, undoubtedly the ripple effect which has already begun can spread to the rest of the United States.
