On Tuesday, voters will vote in the primary election for the next mayor of New York. Some experts call the country the largest city and its financial capital a signal of political competition in the country, despite its strong liberal leanings.
In a recent debate between the eight leading Democratic contenders for mayor of New York City, leading candidates Andrew Yang and Brooklyn area president Eric Adams slammed each other.
“We all know that you have been investigated for corruption wherever you have gone, in every city, state, and even the Department of Justice during Barack Obama’s term. “You have reached the rare trio of corruption investigations.” said candidate Andrew Yang.
His rival Adams denied the allegations and questioned Mr. Yang’s commitment to New York.
“You do not vote at all in municipal elections. Just do not know how you became a candidate for mayor, given your history? How will you govern a diverse city like this? “I just can not understand.” said candidate Eric Adams.
Outside the debate room and away from political squabbles, New Yorkers spoke to VOA about issues that matter to them.
“The waste situation. “There is no regular waste collection from the municipality in the city”, he says voter Iman Abdulfattah.
“Police reform. I know many peers who support the dissolution of the police. “Not many candidates are in favor of this.” says voter Rebecca Victor.
“Economic justice means giving poor people a chance.” says voter Bill Whitaker.
“Education is definitely a priority for me as a teacher and parent.” says Chad Cinquegrana.
“I’m interested in the quality of life in New York, and that includes eliminating unnecessary noise.” says voter Carol Robbins.
New York University professor David Elcott says this race is not about a single issue. But with a power struggle between traditional Democrats and progressives who want a faster pace of change.
“We have not considered the Democrat side much, where we have an equal concern between those who try to support institutions, change institutions and those with a more radical approach who say there are structural problems, corruption and the system is tainted and should collapses “, he says.
In this election cycle, New York City is using what is called sequential voting. Instead of choosing a candidate, voters can list their favorite candidates. Columbia University professor Esther Fuchs says that changes everything about this election.
“No one can predict the result of this race. People really do not know who will win and the polls have not been very effective in determining the winner. “However, they have shown who the top five candidates can be.” she says.
New York City is considered a bastion of liberals, but Professor Fuchs says the issues that matter here are important to every city in the United States. From this perspective, she says, the way New Yorkers vote on issues such as security and police reform could be a signal of how the next nationwide election will go. Following Tuesday’s by-elections, general elections will be held in November.
