New Yorkers cast ballots in mayoral primary, using ranked-choice voting for 1st time

New Yorkers are gearing up to make a choice in the mayoral primary -- the first step in determining who will lead the nation's largest city at a critical juncture.

New Yorkers are gearing up to make a choice in the mayoral primary -- the first step in determining who will lead the nation's largest city at a critical juncture -- amid rising crime rates, an ongoing pandemic and economic recovery. Several factors make this primary unprecedented for the Big Apple, however. New Yorkers are heading to the polls earlier than usual and using ranked-choice voting for the first time, all the while much of the primary race has been clouded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary election is also taking place in June for the first time. Previously, it was held in September. With the coronavirus having relegated much of campaigning to Zoom during the spring, there has been a mad dash in recent weeks to turn out voters in the five boroughs as life returns a new normal.