Tech billionaire Elon Musk accused New York City election officials of manipulating the mayoral ballot on Tuesday, labeling the arrangement a “scam” after Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa appeared twice while independent candidate Andrew Cuomo was positioned lower.
The controversy stems from New York’s fusion voting system, which allows candidates to run under multiple parties. Mamdani, endorsed by both the Democratic Party and Working Families Party, is listed twice, while Sliwa appears on both the Republican line and a Protect Animals ballot. This placement pushed Cuomo—endorsed by Musk earlier in the week—down the ticket, alongside withdrawn candidate Jim Walden and unlisted Joseph Hernandez.
Musk criticized the system on social media, stating, “The New York City ballot form is a scam! No ID is required. Other mayoral candidates appear twice. Cuomo’s name is last in bottom right.” He also mocked Mamdani’s dual listings, suggesting, “Given that he’s on the ballot twice, maybe he can win twice too.”
Musk and former President Donald Trump urged Sliwa to withdraw to prevent vote splitting, arguing that supporting Sliwa would indirectly benefit Mamdani. Trump tweeted, “A vote for Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani… You must vote for Cuomo, and hope he does a fantastic job.”
Musk’s remarks followed his public endorsement of Cuomo, who remains the only independent candidate on the ballot despite dropping out of the race. The dispute highlights tensions over electoral fairness as the November 5 election approaches.
