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Outrage as Zohran Mamdani appears twice on NYC mayoral voting slips - but there's a perfectly valid reason
In the 2025 New York City mayoral election, a curious incident has sparked outrage among some voters. They were stunned to discover Zohran Mamdani’s name appeared twice on the ballot: once under the Democratic Party and again under the Working Families Party.
This apparent duplication led to confusion and frustration, with some accusing election officials of errors. However, the reasoning behind this appearance is entirely legitimate.
A tweet from @WuTangKids, which has gone viral, quickly became a point of reference for those trying to understand the situation. The post explained that Mamdani, a candidate running for mayor, is the nominee for both the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party.
As a result, his name is listed on the ballot in both party sections, reflecting his dual nomination. According to the tweet, critics who didn’t understand this were “morons,” pointing out that the system allows candidates to appear on the ballot under multiple party lines.
The reasoning behind the dual appearance
In New York and many other states, candidates can appear on the ballot under more than one party line. This is a common practice in some regions where minor parties cross-endorse major party candidates.
In Mamdani’s case, his candidacy was endorsed by both the Democrats and the Working Families Party. Therefore, his name was printed twice on the ballot – once under the “Democratic” column and once under the “Working Families” column. Voters are still only allowed to vote for him once, regardless of which column they choose.
This system can sometimes lead to confusion, especially for voters unfamiliar with the process or those who fail to understand the distinction between different party lines. However, this is a legal and normal part of New York’s election system.
Multiple party endorsements are not unusual in the state, where smaller parties often align with larger ones to strengthen their candidates' chances.
Public response
The backlash wasn’t limited to social media. Prominent figures, including Elon Musk, joined the conversation, expressing their frustration over the apparent redundancy of having a candidate appear twice.
Musk’s tweet linked to the controversy, noting that it felt like an error and possibly a tactic to confuse voters. This sentiment was echoed by others, who voiced concerns about voter confusion leading to potential mistakes at the polls.
However, election experts and officials have clarified that this is not an anomaly, and such dual listings are fully allowed by New York's election laws.
While the outrage may be understandable to some, the truth is that Mamdani’s dual appearance is both legal and a result of New York’s party system, which gives voters the choice of supporting a candidate from more than one political platform.