NYC Democrats Remain Loyal After Mamdani's Election

New voter registration data shows little change in Democratic Party enrollment despite concerns over mayor's progressive policies.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 5:04pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

New voter registration data from New York City reveals that Mayor Zohran Mamdani's election has not fueled an exodus among Democrats in the nation's largest city. While some critics predicted Mamdani's democratic socialist views would alienate moderates and independents, the latest figures show only a 0.22% decrease in registered active Democrats since he took office.

Why it matters

Mamdani's election last year divided the Democratic Party, with progressives hailing it as a victory for the left while critics warned he would be bad for the party due to his stances on issues like socialism and Israel. The new voter registration numbers suggest his ascension has had little impact on party affiliation in New York City, contrary to some predictions.

The details

The latest voter registration numbers from February showed roughly 3.25 million registered active Democrats in New York City, down from 3.26 million in November 2025. This 0.22% decrease is significantly smaller than the over 6% drop in registered Democrats that occurred after the election of former Mayor Eric Adams. Similarly, there was only a 0.05% decrease in registered Democrats when Bill de Blasio became mayor in 2013-2014.

  • The latest voter registration data is from February 2026.
  • In November 2025, there were 3.26 million registered active Democrats in New York City.
  • In February 2026, there were 3.25 million registered active Democrats in New York City.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City, elected in 2025 on a progressive, democratic socialist platform.

Eric Adams

The former mayor of New York City, elected in 2021.

Bill de Blasio

The former mayor of New York City, elected in 2013.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I think this will be a questionable job. There's no question about it. John Lindsay once said it's the second most difficult job in the United States. But I also think there have been many who have failed to even try to deliver for working class New Yorkers. They have left that discussion at the door. When in fact, what we need to do is make City Hall a place that is fighting for working people.”

— Zohran Mamdani, New York City Mayor (CBS New York)

“We had discussions on some things. I'm not going to discuss what they were, but I feel very confident that he can do a very good job. I think he's going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”

— Donald Trump (Newsweek)

What’s next

Future polling and registration numbers will gauge the extent to which Mamdani is able to sustain his popularity as he tackles issues like housing and affordability.

The takeaway

Despite concerns that Mayor Zohran Mamdani's progressive policies would drive Democrats out of New York City, the latest voter registration data shows little change in party affiliation since his election. This suggests the city's Democrats remain loyal to the party even with a democratic socialist in charge.