Zohran Mamdani, 34, is the projected winner of New York City's race for mayor in a contest that rallied young voters and sparked debate about the future direction of the Democratic Party.

In an election which saw record early voting turnout, Mamdani surged to victory Tuesday night with 49.6% of the vote, compared to 41.6% for independent Andrew Cuomo and 7.9% for Republican Curtis Sliwa when the race was called just after 9:30 p.m. Polls in New York closed at 9 p.m.

NEW YORK (AP) — When he announced his run for mayor last October, Zohran Mamdani was a state lawmaker unknown to most New York City residents. But that was before the 34-year-old democratic socialist crashed the national political scene with a stunning upset over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary.

The election is widely seen as a test for the future of the Democratic Party — even with Andrew Cuomo running as an independent.

From New York City streets to suburban living rooms, Muslim Americans erupted in cheers as Zohran Mamdani secured victory in the riveting race for New York City mayor.

Around two million New Yorkers have cast ballots in the New York City mayoral election, the highest number since the 1969 mayor’s race, according to the city board of elections. The turnout is nearly double the 1.