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Bed-Stuy Has Brooklyn’s Highest Voter Turnout

Editor, Our Time Press
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Bed-Stuy Has Brooklyn’s Highest Voter Turnout

THE VOTES ARE IN AND THE WINNER IS…

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old upstart lawmaker, declared victory Tuesday night in the Democratic mayoral primary, racking up a seemingly insurmountable lead that prompted former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to concede.


A democratic socialist, Mamdani waged an energetic campaign, attracting new and left-leaning young voters. His platform focused on making the city more affordable, including free bus service and child care, and raising $10 billion in revenue by taxing businesses and wealthy New Yorkers.


Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly from Queens, closed a double-digit deficit in the polls in the weeks leading up to the primary.
“I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City,” Mamdani told supporters hours after the polls closed.


Cuomo resigned from his gubernatorial post in 2021 after he was accused of sexually harassing at least 11 women. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.
“Tonight is his night,” he told supporters. “He deserved it. He won.”


With 96.05% of the scanners reporting, Mamdani was the first choice of 43.51% of the votes to Cuomo’s 36.42%. City Comptroller Brad Lander had 11.31% followed by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams with 4.12%.


“He touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote, and he really ran a highly impactful campaign,” Cuomo added. “I called him, I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort.”


Some political observers said the results were stunning.
“This is the biggest upset in modern New York City history,” Trip Yang, a Democratic strategist, told The New York Times.
The official outcome of the primary election will be decided next Tuesday by the ranked-choice count, but experts saw almost no chance for Cuomo to catch Mamdani.


Mayor Eric Adams is running for re-election as an independent. It remains to be seen whether Cuomo, 67, will also run as an independent in the November general election.
“I wanted to look at the numbers and the ranked-choice voting to decide about what to do in the future, because I’m also on an independent line,” Cuomo told The Times. “And that’s the decision.”


Curtis Sliwa will be the Republican candidate for mayor in the general election.
About 1 million New Yorkers cast their ballots in the primary with Brooklyn boasting the highest number of votes among the boroughs with more than 358,000. Mamdani won Brooklyn by 17 percentage points.


The New York Times published a breakdown by neighborhood. It showed that just over 4,300 people voted in Brownsville, leaning toward Cuomo by 40 percentage points.
Bedford-Stuyvesant had the highest voter turnout of any neighborhood in Brooklyn with about 32,000 voters. Mamdani won that neighborhood by 43 percentage points.


Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Hermelyn endorsed Cuomo in March. She released a statement early Wednesday aimed at unifying Brooklyn Dems around Mamdani.


“Zohran Mamdani campaigned on making our city more affordable,” the statement read. “The people have spoken and as the clear winner of the Democratic primary, I support Mamdani in the general election…Brooklyn stands firmly behind Zohran Mamdani as we head into November. Let’s unite as Democrats for a brighter future for our city.” (Source: NYS Assemblywoman Latrice Walker’s newsletter)

Record Voter Turnout Produces Stunning Upsetand Decisive Wins

Mary Alice Miller
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By Mary Alice Miller
Queens Assembly member Zohran Mamdani became the presumptive Democratic nominee for the November General Election. “In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done,” said Mamdani during his election night remarks. “My friends, we have done it.”


Mamdani received 432,305 votes (43.5%) in preliminary election results, over second-place Andrew Cuomo, who garnered 361,840 votes (36.4%). The next round of rank-choice votes may place Mamdani over the 51% needed to win, with second-rank votes from Brad Lander, who cross-endorsed Mamdani.


Thirty-three-year-old Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, was given a 1% chance of winning when he began his campaign eight months ago. But his campaign mirrored that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who beat 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley with a ground game that reached out to young voters and those disillusioned with the electoral process.


Mamdani campaigned on free city buses, city-owned grocery stores, and higher taxes on the wealthy. Born in Uganda, Mamdani became a citizen in 2018. If elected in November, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor in city history.


The Democratic establishment rallied around Cuomo, perhaps due to their relationship with him during his 10 years as governor. Those endorsements, Cuomo’s hubris, his name recognition and the record millions in support from super PACs netted Cuomo a paltry second place in first rank votes.


Perhaps the nail in the coffin was during a rare debate appearance when Cuomo could not name one time he had visited a mosque during his years as HUD secretary, New York State Attorney General, and Governor. The increasing diversity of New York City is not impressed by candidates who cater to some demographic groups to the exclusion of others.


New York City voters might not have heard the last from Cuomo. He has positioned himself to run in the November General Election as an independent, along with Mayor Eric Adams. With the majority of NYC voters registered as Democrats, both men will have to make a compelling case to overcome voter party loyalty.


It’s no surprise that Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine won the most first rank votes over City Council member Justin Brannan, 428,283 (48.1%) over 298,690 (33.5%). Most voters may not have known one candidate over another, but Levine’s campaign worked hard to build his name recognition in the outer boroughs.

Those voters familiar with the candidates remember Levine’s work in the city council and that in 1994 he founded Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, a cooperatively-owned financial institution serving low-income families in the Washington Heights section of Northern Manhattan.


New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams won a resounding re-election victory with 630,095 votes (71.3%). Williams is known throughout the city for his advocacy. And voters were offended when, during a debate, challenger Jenifer Rajkumar questioned his sleeping habits as if she is privy to what goes on in the Williams household.


Brooklyn showed how it is done when voters re-elected Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso with a decisive 241,149 votes (77.1%). Reynoso has used the power of his office to reach all neighborhoods in Brooklyn while making special efforts to provide opportunities to communities in need.


Central Brooklyn City Council race results were mixed.
Boom! Crystal Hudson won re-election to her council seat with a staggering 32,560 votes (84.7%). Council member Chi Osse returns to the council with 22,368 votes (78.4%). And Mercedes Narcisse was re-elected with 12,768 votes (82.9%). These percentages speak to how well these incumbents serve their constituents.


The outlier was Council member Darlene Mealy, who got 6,603 first rank votes (43.2%). Her top three challengers, Lawman Lynch, Jammel Thompson, and Bianca Cunningham received combined almost as many votes as Mealy. It will be interesting to see how many rounds it will take for Mealy to win re-election.


Ultimately, the voters were the winners.
The first weekend of Early Voting for the Mayoral Primary saw a record turnout of 66,000, dwarfing the first weekend of Mayoral Primary Early Voting four years ago by 36,000.
Those numbers continued to grow. By the end of Day Nine of 2025 Primary Early Voting, turnout was a cumulative 384,338. As usual, Brooklyn showed everyone how it is done by leading the city in turnout.


Unofficial election night results include first-choice votes from early voting, election day, and any valid mail ballots canvassed, but do not include affidavit ballots.


The first preliminary Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) results will be released on Tuesday after election day (July 1). Updated RCV will then be posted every Tuesday until all ballots are counted and the election is certified.

Brooklyn Electorate Keeps an Eye on the November General Election Prize

Nayaba Arinde
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By Nayaba Arinde
Editor-at-Large
Rank Choice Voting and cross endorsing created a historical result in the mayoral candidate showdown with Assemblyman Zohran Kwame Mamdani declaring victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo.


“In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ My friends, we have done it,” Mamdani told his ecstatic Long Island City watch party crowd. “I am your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.”


The 33-year-old Kampala, Uganda-born, Cape Town, South Africa-raised, New York transplant at seven years. old, has campaigned on his progressive platform for months, and may just become New York’s first Indian-American and first Muslim mayor in November.


While the Board of Elections will not officially call the primary day election results until July 1st, many were stunned this Tuesday, June 24th, when Mandani was unofficially declared the Democratic mayoral nominee. He won 43% of the vote with 432,305 votes, compared to Cuomo’s 36.4% and 361,840 votes.


With a brief five-minute speech, complimenting Mamdani, Cuomo conceded within a couple of hours of polls closing, “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign. He touched young people and he inspired them and moved them, and got them to come out and vote.”


Standing on the stage, embracing each other, now-former competitor, Comptroller Brad Lander declared, “We are sending Andrew Cuomo back to the suburbs. With our help, Mamdani is the Democratic nominee for the Mayor of the City of New York.”


Political talking heads were stunned. Touting free buses, child care, healthcare, and rent freezing and affordable housing, the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist beat the moderately conservative 67-year-old career politician, with a million knocks on doors, and a stringent grassroots and focused social media campaign. The “Don’t rank Cuomo” rallying cry spread far and citywide across multiple candidate campaigns.


Even though the New York Times called Mamdani “uniquely unqualified,” evidently, the electorate decided it wanted to take the chance.


“I will be the mayor for every New Yorker,” Mamdani proclaimed on election night.
Unimpressed, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams slammed Mamdani as a “snake oil salesman” who “was saying anything to get elected.” This, as he scheduled the launch of his Independent candidate campaign on Thursday, June 26th, 2025.

With the General Election on November 4th, 2025, Cuomo said he is weighing up his options, but would not commit to continuing his campaign as an Independent candidate. Republican Curtis Sliwa will also be on the ballot.


“Mamdani is going to win the general election whether Cuomo gets in the race or not,” Barron predicted. “He has the white progressives, and the Asian and Latinos will come out for Mamdani.”


The summer and political seasons are here. Early voting had Brooklynites in a chokehold! They led the city in turnout. Believers in the election process enthusiastically exercised their right to let their political choice be known in their lead 5-way ranked-choice voting for mayor. Other races included Public Advocate, City Comptroller, all five Borough Presidents, City Council, District Attorney, and judicial races.


Main issues considered are crime fighting, gun violence, education, real affordable income-sensitive housing, the Sanctuary City issue, immigration, tackling food in/security, and police and community.


In the nine days of early voting from June 14 to June 22nd, Brooklyn beat all the other boroughs in voter turnout. By Sunday, only three days in, citywide, 384,251 people had voted early—compared to the 191,197 during the 2021 election. The Board of Elections said 261,000 Brooklynites cast their ballots by the paper’s press time.


Public Advocate Jumanne Williams sailed through his primary with over 630,000 votes. Thanking his supporters “who have again placed their trust in me to connect people to their government and hold the powerful to account,” he said, “I’m going to continue to fight for the needs of New Yorkers.

Whether we have a mayor who stands with us in fighting for progressive policies that make New York safer and more affordable, or one who stands in the way, I’ll keep showing up for New Yorkers, and standing up in the face of injustice, not standing by.”


Speaker Adrienne Adams won over 40,000 votes, placing fourth after Mamdani, Cuomo and Lander. Mamdani endorsed and fund-raised for her, as he cross-endorsed with Lander, who came in third place.


Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso faced off against challenger Khari Edwards. “I am deeply humbled and grateful for the continued trust and confidence the people of Brooklyn have bestowed upon me with this victory,” he said.

“As I look forward to the next four years, I am energized and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead…as we work to ensure that all Brooklyn families can thrive.”


On election day morning, maybe it was the 100-degree-plus baking heat, but at least a couple of the Bed Stuy school polling sites were quiet. Noticeable, though, was the number of white poll site workers and voters in the heavily gentrified neighborhood.


“This is gentrification,” said Barron, “where you have appointed poll workers, and the DSA fronting Black or brown candidates until they can finally come out and present who they really want to.”


A common political season refrain of ‘Black folks asked for nothing, so won’t get anything’ was mumbled as the Mamdani campaign gathered speed in the last few months.


“He never met with Black leaders, or made himself well known in the Black community,” Barron told Our Time Press. “Unfortunately, and undeservedly so, Cuomo also promised nothing, but got a lot of the Black vote. But he still lost.”


The former Brooklyn elected official advised, “Black people must liberate themselves from the colonial mentality of being so blindly loyal to the Democratic party and the colonial capitalist system that takes us for granted and oppresses us, if we are ever going to be a liberated people.

We must move from ‘plantation politics’ to ‘liberation politics,’ and build a strong, independent Black Radical electoral movement. I’m glad Cuomo lost, but did we win anything as a result of last night’s election? Time will tell. No matter who gets elected, not one of them has made a serious commitment to specific Black issues.”

Cecil Bailey: A Mission to Mentor Young Black Boys and Young Men

Fern Gillespie
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Cecil Bailey: A Mission to Mentor Young Black Boys and Young Men

By Fern Gillespie
When Cecil Bailey was 16, he became a mentor to other Black youths. He was a high school student in Far Rockaway and got involved with an after-school program teaching kids from middle school to high school how to play basketball.

He still is a mentor to youth. At Brooklyn’s Eagle Academy in Ocean Hill, he’s a One-to-One Paraprofessional on the scholar support staff, where he advises students. Brooklyn’s Eagle Academy is an award-winning school that educates young Black men from 6th grade to 12th grade to be critical thinkers and active citizens for lifelong success.


Black mentorship is part of Bailey’s family’s mission. Although he grew up in Queens, Bailey was born in Brooklyn and was mentored in community service by family members who were community activists. His grandfather renowned union leader Rabbi William Tate, who served on the Board of Directors of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and chair of One Hundred Black Men of Brooklyn.

His mother, healthcare advocate Divinah “Dee” Bailey, is the founder of Watchful Eye, and also New York State Affiliate Director of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDs and the Executive Director of the New York City Black Leadership Commission on AIDS.


Currently, Bailey is majoring in child psychology at Medgar Evers College. Our Time Press recently spoke with him about mentoring 12-year-old boys to 18-year-old young Black men at Brooklyn’s Eagle Academy.

OTP: A recent study reported that only 26 percent of students at HBCUs were Black men. How do you tell these young Black men it important for them to look at going to college?
CB: At Eagle Academy, we have a 97 percent to 98 percent graduation rate. Usually about 92 percent of our students go to college.

So, we really pushed for our young men to further their education. We tell young men it’s important for them to get into college and stay in college because it will open up doors and take them places that they probably wouldn’t get to. It will give you a different perspective on life because when you do go to college, depending on where you go, you’re meeting different people from all walks of life. That gives you a different perspective.”

OTP: What advice do you give to teenage students about preparing for college?
CB: For my high school kids, I give a short college preparation speech based on what they’re doing in high school or what colleges look at. They pretty much know you’re just getting in in the ninth grade, and they know you’re leaving in the 12th grade. But the 10th and 11th years, while you’re in high school, that’s what colleges look at.

Your grades and how you are when you’re studying. What’s your work ethic looking like? That’s where you stack up those accolades. I tell them all the time that’s where it really counts. It’s not just when you first get there and when you’re trying to leave school. You have to put the work in all the way through. So somebody sees it.”

OTP: What is the unique process for the sixth graders when they begin at Eagle Academy?
CB: When our kids first come in, we do something called Bridge Week. That’s the last two weeks of this summer, just before they come into the school. So that they know what’s expected of them when they come into this building. We have this tie ceremony that takes place, and we teach all the young men how to tie a tie. Because we wear uniforms in school. You have some moms who don’t know how to tie a tie for their son.

We are trying to interact with our boys and make sure that they’re just prepared for what’s coming. A tie is important. It’s professionalism basically. Keeping your uniform tight and sturdy. That tie is a symbol of you’re here now. That you made it. The Tie Ceremony is not at the beginning of the year. They have to earn that tie after a few months of being in the 6th grade.”

OTP: What impact has working with the young Black men and boys at Eagle Academy had on you?
CB: At Eagle Academy, a lot of the young boys come from broken homes. It’s just them and their mom. So, parents love that there are men in the building that the boys could actually look up to and learn something from. My Eagle career has really opened me up to some different ideas.

Seeing these young men in a different light and understanding where they come from. The things that they have to deal with as young Black men and how much it affects them. You can always help somehow. I have a student who graduated during the pandemic. I still talk with him once or twice a week just to check in with him and make sure he’s doing well. That’s basically what the Eagle family is. We take care of our guys.

Noteworthy …

Editor, Our Time Press
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Noteworthy …

Last Sunday, the Patricia F. Robinson Music Studio presented its annual summer student recital at St. Philips Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, NY. Following the presentation, sponsored by the Brooklyn Branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, parents showered the beloved instructor with awards, gifts and certificates from local leaders, for her birthday that day. Of course, for Ms. Robinson, every recital is a birthday of sorts. She never misses an opportunity to celebrate excellence and provide awards to her cherished students.

Pat Graham
Caleb Roach
John Williams
Leilani Minnas
Mason Goddard


This year, among the top prize winners were Caleb Roach, receiving Patricia F. Robinson Music School (PFR) and Winnifred J. Thompson Scholarships Competition Awards (WJT), John Williams, Most Outstanding Student and 3rd Place WJT scholarship award winner; Mason Goddard, Most Improved Student and second place WJT scholarship award winner; and Leilani Minnis, Most Outstanding Musical Achievement PFR and WJT Scholarship Award.


The school, one of the oldest — if not the oldest music school of its kind in New York City, was founded in 1930 by Mrs. Robinson’s mother, the iconic L. Elsie Graham. For more information, or to make a donation, visit: www.pfrmusicschool.com.
photos courtesy Patricia F. Robinson Music School

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