Ballot Order Controversy Roils NYC Democratic Primary as Mamdani Tops the Ticket

Cuomo Allies Cry Foul Over “Random” Placement in Crowded Mayoral Race

By: Fern Sidman

In a city known for political spectacle and razor-thin electoral margins, a seemingly bureaucratic detail—the order in which candidates appear on the ballot—is drawing fresh scrutiny in the lead-up to New York City’s pivotal Democratic primary. At the center of the storm is 33-year-old Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist and avowed supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, who has inexplicably landed the coveted top spot on the official June 24 primary ballot.

As The New York Post reported on Monday, the ballot placement has ignited backlash from several quarters of the city’s diverse electorate, with critics accusing the Board of Elections (BoE) of veiling a critical process in procedural opacity. Mamdani’s name appearing first, above political heavyweights such as former Governor Andrew Cuomo, City Comptroller Brad Lander, and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, has stirred speculation at a moment when ranked-choice voting is still a relatively new and controversial electoral mechanism in the city.

The controversy is not merely bureaucratic—it is ideological. Mamdani, a Muslim legislator from Queens, has gained national attention for his outspoken criticism of U.S. support for Israel and his refusal to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. His affiliation with the BDS movement has especially drawn concern from Jewish voters across the five boroughs. As The New York Post report underscored, his policy positions—such as taxpayer-funded municipal grocery stores and citywide fare-free bus service—have also raised questions about the feasibility and fiscal responsibility of his platform, which experts estimate would cost upwards of $10 billion.

For Simone Weichselbaum, a 43-year-old Midtown East resident and Jewish voter, the experience of casting her vote during early voting on Saturday was tinged with unease. Speaking to The New York Post, Weichselbaum said she was “shocked” to see Mamdani listed first. “It took me a lot longer to vote because you have to go down the list and rank them,” she noted, referring to the city’s ranked-choice system, which allows voters to choose up to five candidates in order of preference.

“The concern,” she added, “is that voters who are less engaged or more apathetic might just throw up their hands and vote for the first name they see—especially in a field this crowded.” Her comments reflect a broader anxiety about what political scientists call the “primacy effect”—the tendency of voters to subconsciously favor the first name listed, particularly in elections with large candidate pools.

As The New York Post report detailed, New York law requires the BoE to determine ballot order through a randomized process using numbered spheres and an automated selection machine akin to those used in state lotteries or bingo games. But for many, the explanation lacks the visibility and procedural clarity necessary to instill confidence. “I want to know who’s in the room when the names are drawn,” Weichselbaum demanded. “Is it AI generating the list? Are they putting names in a hat? We need real transparency.”

The BoE maintains that the order was determined in accordance with strict legal standards. Still, the optics of a controversial candidate with rising poll numbers—one who trails Cuomo by single digits in some internal campaign surveys—landing the top ballot spot have proven politically combustible.

Former Governor Cuomo’s campaign has declined to officially comment on the ballot controversy, though multiple sources close to the campaign told The New York Post that discussions are underway regarding a formal inquiry or legal challenge. “We’re not saying the process was rigged,” one Cuomo ally stated anonymously, “but we are saying the process ought to be transparent. If we can’t trust how names get on the ballot, how can voters trust the rest of the election?”

The 2025 mayoral race is only the second to be conducted using ranked-choice voting in New York City, a system designed to eliminate costly runoffs and encourage consensus candidates. If no one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest is eliminated and the votes are redistributed according to voters’ second choices. This process continues until only two candidates remain, with the one holding the majority declared the winner.

With a crowded field, the mechanics of the election—and every small advantage, such as name order—could become decisive. As The New York Post report noted, Mamdani’s campaign has been banking on a groundswell of support among progressive voters disillusioned by mainstream Democrats, even as his opponents attempt to cast his views as radical and polarizing.

With less than ten days to go before the June 24 primary, the stakes could not be higher. As The New York Post editorialized recently, “In a race where every second-choice vote could tip the scale, the order of names on a ballot is not just cosmetic. It’s consequential.”

 Whether Mamdani’s top billing will translate into electoral success remains to be seen. But what is clear, as The New York Post has consistently emphasized, is that even in a city as seasoned in political theater as New York, a lottery machine drawing numbered spheres can still upend the stage.