NYC STOOGES?

This NYC sample ballot shows how New York’s fusion voting system can influence the way candidates appear on ballots.

The Big Apple’s ballot positioning can affect voter behavior, especially in low-information races or when voters rely on name recognition.

Fusion Voting in NY

New York allows fusion voting, where candidates can be endorsed by multiple parties and appear on the ballot multiple times under different party lines. Votes from each line count toward the candidate's total.

In your example:

• Zohran Mamdani (Democrat) appears:
  • First as a Democrat
  • Again as a Working Families Party candidate
• Curtis Sliwa (Republican) appears:
  • Second as a Republican
  • Again on his independent Protect Animals line
• Irene Estrada appears as a Conservative Party candidate — placed third.
• Adams and Cuomo, though more prominent public figures, are listed lower on the ballot — possibly due to less favorable ballot positioning by party line or endorsement strategy.

Why It Matters

1. Ballot Position Bias: Being listed near the top can lead to more votes — especially in local or off-year elections where many voters might not know much about the candidates.
2. Multiple Lines = Multiple Shots at Visibility: Candidates like Mamdani and Sliwa benefit from appearing multiple times. That keeps their name in front of voters and helps capture different voting bases (e.g. Democrats vs Working Families, Republicans vs Animal Rights voters).
3. Confusion or Strategy?: Some voters might not realize that Mamdani on the WFP line and Mamdani on the Democratic line are the same person. Strategic voters may pick the line that aligns more with their values.

Implication for Prominent Candidates Lower on the Ballot

Even well-known figures like Eric Adams or Andrew Cuomo could be disadvantaged if they’re buried on lesser-known lines or are not the top choice of a major party. This can hurt them in primaries or local elections where turnout is low and ballot design matters a lot.