NEW YORK — New York City election officials completed certification of results from the city’s June 23 primary elections this week, finalizing outcomes in races for municipal offices after the conclusion of ballot canvassing and ranked-choice vote tabulations, according to the New York City Board of Elections.
The certification process followed several days of vote counting after primary day, when voters cast ballots in contests for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president and City Council seats using the city’s ranked-choice voting system. The Board of Elections said unofficial election-night totals were supplemented by the counting of absentee, affidavit and other eligible ballots before results were finalized.
Under New York City’s election rules, ranked-choice voting is used in municipal primary elections when no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes. Ballots are tabulated through successive rounds in which lower-performing candidates are eliminated and votes are redistributed according to voter preferences until a winner is determined. The system has been in place for city primary elections since 2021.
Election officials said the certification process was conducted in accordance with state and city election procedures. The Board of Elections had previously released unofficial results and ranked-choice voting updates as ballots continued to be reviewed and counted. Officials said certification formally concludes the primary election process and establishes the nominees who will advance to the November general election.
“The integrity of the canvass and certification process remains essential to public confidence in elections,” election officials said in public guidance explaining the post-election procedures. Officials noted that final certification can take several days because of the need to review eligible ballots and complete required audits before results become official.
The primary elections drew attention because of several closely watched local contests and the continued use of ranked-choice voting. Supporters of the system have said it encourages broader voter participation in multi-candidate races, while some critics have argued that the process can be difficult for voters to follow. Election officials have maintained that the system is functioning as designed and have continued voter education efforts ahead of future elections.
Candidates and political organizations across the city began shifting their focus to the general election campaign following certification. Party nominees secured ballot positions for the November contests, while independent candidates and other parties continued their preparations for the fall campaign season.
As of Thursday, no major challenges affecting the certified citywide results had been announced by election authorities. Officials said certified results had been transmitted through the required channels, completing the formal tabulation process for the June primary elections.
