New York City will use ranked choice voting for Primary and Special Elections for the offices of Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and City Council, due to an amendment in the City Charter approved by voters in 2019.

How are results tabulated?

All first-choice votes are counted. If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins.

If no candidate earns more than 50% of first-choice votes, then counting will continue in rounds.

At the end of each round, the last-place candidate is eliminated and voters who chose that candidate now have their vote counted for their next choice.

Your vote is counted for your second choice only if your first choice is eliminated. If both your first and second choices are eliminated, your vote is counted for your next choice, and so on.

This process continues until there are two candidates left. The candidate with the most votes wins.

When will results be reported?

Unofficial election night results will be posted at the close of polls on election day. These results will include first-choice votes from early voting, election day and any valid mail ballots canvassed but will not include affidavit ballots.

One week later, preliminary RCV elimination rounds will be tabulated and an unofficial report will be released. The tally will include any mail ballots scanned before Election Day.

The ranking of candidates may continue to change until all mail and affidavit ballot processing is completed and all cure deadlines have expired.

Preliminary RCV elimination rounds will be conducted and reports released every week until the election is certified. Final results in ranked choice elections will not be known until all ballots are counted.

When will results be certified?

Election results will not be certified until all ballots are counted including early mail, absentee, military, affidavit and emergency.