Voters across the Bronx turned out in strong numbers Tuesday despite scorching triple-digit temperatures, as the city’s 2025 primary elections drew high interest in a particularly competitive political year.
With a historic heatwave gripping New York City—temperatures reached 100 degrees at John F. Kennedy International Airport and even higher across parts of the five boroughs—many polling sites still reported steady turnout. Voters were advised to head to the polls early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the worst of the midday sun.
Among those encouraging heat-sensitive voters to cast their ballots early was mayoral candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose campaign has been targeting older voters who are more vulnerable to extreme heat.
At Mother Hale Academy in the South Bronx, voting got off to a slow start, with just 104 ballots cast by 10 a.m. But poll workers said they expected a larger turnout during the evening rush between 5 and 6 p.m., as the worst of the heat began to subside.
“People know who they want,” said one poll coordinator, who also worked all nine days of early voting at a separate site. “The early voting site was super busy—like a revolving door.”
The early voting period itself saw record-breaking engagement. According to the New York City Board of Elections, a total of 384,338 early voting check-ins were recorded citywide—more than double the 191,197 check-ins during the 2021 primary cycle.
In the Bronx, 30,816 residents voted early, representing a 50% increase from four years ago.
By 6 p.m. on Tuesday, the Board of Elections reported a total of 830,875 votes cast citywide, including early voting and Election Day ballots. Of those, 446,537 check-ins occurred on Primary Day.
As of that update, borough-by-borough Election Day turnout was as follows:
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Brooklyn: 159,327
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Manhattan: 125,187
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Queens: 93,960
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The Bronx: 54,218
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Staten Island: 13,845
Despite the sweltering conditions, Bronxites and New Yorkers across the city showed their determination to make their voices heard in one of the most consequential primary cycles in recent memory.
