'He cut me!' New Yorker's angry protest puts Mamdani's bodyguard in an awkward spot
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s early morning visit to a polling site on Saturday, October 24, took an awkward turn when a voter accused him of jumping the line.
The man repeatedly challenged the mayor’s apparent move ahead of him, directing his complaints at Mamdani’s bodyguard and other voters nearby.
The exchange was caught on video and has been rapidly gaining views on the social media platform X.
Today is the first day of early voting in NYC for the November 3 general election. Friendly reminder to make a plan and vote early, polls are open through November 1. 🗳️ @nycmayor Mayor Mamdani voted at the Metropolitan Museum, brought donuts for poll-site staff, and spoke with reporters afterward. He said he couldn’t tell people how to vote, then shared that he voted yes on all five NYC ballot proposals. There are five NYC Charter questions on the ballot. The Mayor’s Office says they would: 1. Make it easier to open outdoor dining and build accessible ramps, cutting the outdoor-dining application process from eight months to two. 2. Reduce paperwork and speed up City contracting for small businesses and nonprofits, potentially saving contractors up to 30 days. 3. Fast-track street-safety projects, including bike lanes, and potentially raise more than $200 million through sales of surplus City property and unused air rights. 4. Simplify construction permitting by bringing 40 approvals from 18 offices and agencies into one place. 5. Set a rainy-day savings target of 12% of City tax revenue. The ballot also includes the Governor/Lieutenant Governor race and other contests. Check your sample ballot for the races on your ballot. Learn more about the five questions: https://t.co/gbafvbRhsl Find your poll site, hours, and sample ballot: https://t.co/ZFMtPQhJzg
— New York Mickey (@MickmickNYC) October 24, 2026
Voter calls out mayor at polling site
Mamdani arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to cast his ballot on the first day of early voting.
Accompanied by a bodyguard, he walked toward a voting booth, appearing to pass a man who was already waiting in line.
“Why's he gotta cut me?” the voter complained as Mamdani moved ahead.
The man continued objecting while the mayor voted, turning to the bodyguard beside him to make his grievance clear.
“The mayor just cut me, you saw it,” he said.
He then appealed to other people waiting at the polling station, repeating his accusation in their direction.
“He cut me, you all saw it,” the man said.
The bodyguard remained beside the voter as the complaints continued, while Mamdani went ahead with casting his ballot.
The footage shows the exchange but does not establish precisely why the mayor appeared to move ahead of the man or whether they were waiting to use the same booth.
Speaking to reporters after voting, Mamdani appeared amused by the questions surrounding his visit.
“I voted early. I was only called a communist once. I got in and out,” he said.
A reporter then returned to the line dispute, asking, “Did you cut him though? That was the question.”
Mamdani laughed and replied that the man had wanted to wait for a particular booth, adding that two booths were available.
Don’t forget: - Early voting lasts from October 24th to November 1st. - Your last chance to vote is on Election Day: Tuesday, November 3rd. - Voting is your fundamental right and no one — especially not the government — should stand in the way of you exercising it. Visit https://t.co/DlSZ0i8Pb2 to check your registration, find your polling place and see your sample ballot. If you witness unusual activity or voter intimidation at your polling site, tell a poll worker.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 24, 2026
New York opens early voting
New York City’s early voting period opened Saturday ahead of the November 3 general election, allowing registered voters to cast their ballots before Election Day.
The nine-day window runs from October 24 to November 1.
Voting hours will differ by date.
This year’s ballot features races for Congress and the state legislature, along with statewide contests and proposed amendments to New York City’s charter.
The statewide contests include the race for governor, with incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul running alongside Adrienne Adams against Republican Bruce Blakeman and his running mate Todd Hood.
Voters will also choose between Democratic Attorney General Letitia James and Republican Saritha Komatireddy, as well as Democratic state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Republican Joseph Hernandez.
Before visiting a polling site, New Yorkers can use the city Board of Elections’ website to confirm their assigned early voting location and check its hours.
