Fact Check: Did 700K New Yorkers sign petitions to remove Zohran Mamdani?
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that 700,000 New Yorkers signed petitions to recall Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, sparking speculation and debate online.
The claim resurfaced across Facebook, X, and Reddit, where users widely shared posts alleging a growing backlash against Mamdani following his latest tax proposal targeting wealthy second-home owners. Here is a closer look at the viral claim and whether there is any evidence supporting it.
Claim: 700K New Yorkers signed petitions to remove Zohran Mamdani
According to viral social media posts, 700,000 New Yorkers allegedly signed petitions seeking to remove New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from office.
One Facebook post shared on May 13 stated, “New Yorkers are already in open revolt against Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with petitions reportedly gaining 700,000 signatures in just 10 days demanding his recall and removal from office.”
The claim also spread widely on X and Reddit, where it garnered millions of views and prompted reactions from users who debated whether the petition drive was genuine.
Some online users appeared to accept the claim as fact, while others questioned whether any official petition effort of that scale actually existed.
Fact Check: No credible evidence supports viral petition claim
However, there is no evidence showing that 700,000 people signed petitions seeking Mamdani’s removal from office.
A Google search for the claim produced no credible reports or coverage from major news organizations confirming the existence of such a petition campaign. If hundreds of thousands of signatures had truly been collected within days, the effort would likely have generated widespread media attention.
Search results also showed that versions of the same claim circulated online earlier this year, shortly after Mamdani took office on January 1, 2026, suggesting the rumor may have been repeatedly reshared.
While smaller online petitions criticizing Mamdani may exist, there is no proof supporting the viral figure of 700,000 signatures.
Regardless of petitions circulating online, New York state and city laws do not allow a mayor to be directly removed from office solely through petition signatures.
Zohran Mamdani faces scrutiny after new tax proposal
The claim resurfaced after Mamdani unveiled a proposal targeting ultra-wealthy second-home owners in New York City, a measure officials estimated could generate at least $500 million annually.
Governor Kathy Hochul defended the proposal and framed it as an issue of fairness.
“Ensure that those who own luxury homes, but do not live in the City or pay City income tax are still fairly contributing towards the funding of the essential services like policing and parks that make New York City a global destination,” Hochul said.
Mamdani also defended the plan in a video released shortly after the announcement.
“When I ran for mayor, I said I was gonna tax the rich. Well, today, we’re taxing it,” Mamdani said.
