Mayor Eric Adams addressed New Yorkers on Wednesday following former President Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, urging unity while promising to fight for New Yorkers’ rights.

Speaking from City Hall’s Blue Room, Adams called for a “peaceful transfer of power” in January.

Incumbent Democrat Jeremy Cooney is the declared winner in the race for New York's 56th State Senate, according to the Associated Press.

Cooney will defeat Republican and former Gates Police Chief Jim VanBrederode.

U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle has won a fourth term in Congress, the Associated Press declares. Morelle defeats Republican businessman Gregg Sadwick 65.1% to 34.9%, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

Morelle, the Democratic incumbent, will return to Washington to represent the Rochester area in the 25th Congressional District seat, which encompasses all of Monroe County and parts of northwestern Ontario County, including Victor.

Analysts offered insights into the successful return of Donald Trump to the White House a day after he won the electoral vote.

Republican strategist Bill O’Reilly said strong support for Trump among women became apparent early in the evening, and made him confidence that Trump could pull off a victory.

It has now been 40 years since a Republican presidential candidate carried the state of New York.

Vice President Kamala Harris continued that Democratic streak on Tuesday, easily winning the Empire State’s 28 electoral votes.

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler has earned victory in his bid for a second term in Congress, the Associated Press has declared Wednesday morning.

Lawler held back a challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones in the race for New York’s 17th Congressional District.

For Josh Riley, the second time’s the charm.

The fifth-generation Endicott native and lawyer will win the race for New York’s 19th Congressional District, the Associated Press has declared, unseating Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro in a bitter rematch contest from two years ago.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will be reelected to a third full term representing New York in Capitol Hill's upper chamber, the Associated Press declares.

According to the AP, with approximately 96.29% of the expected vote tallied as of 5 a.m. Wednesday, Gillibrand had 58.1% of the vote, while the Republican candidate, Michael Sapraicone, had 41.5% of the vote.

New York City residents voted on five citywide ballot proposals Tuesday, but only one of them has so far been declared.

According to The Associated Press, with 72.01% of precincts reporting, proposal 2 has received 61.7% of the "yes" votes and 38.3% voted "no." Proposal 2 concerns the city Department of Sanitation's power to clean public property.

Albany County will have a new district attorney in January for the first time in 20 years.

Attorney Lee Kindlon, a Democrat, declared victory Tuesday over Republican Ralph Ambrosio and incumbent Albany County District Attorney David Soares, who Kindlon defeated in a primary in June and ran a write-in campaign.

Democratic state Sen. John Mannion will win the race for New York’s 22nd Congressional District, the Associated Press has declared, unseating Republican Rep. Brandon Williams and becoming the first Democrat to win the Syracuse-based district since 2012.

The two-term state legislator was leading the congressman 54% to 46%, according to the latest unofficial results from AP. Rep. Williams called Mannion to concede.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan has been reelected to a second full term representing parts of the Hudson Valley in Congress, holding off a challenge from Republican Alison Esposito in the race for New York’s 18th Congressional District, the Associated Press has declared.

The freshman congressman was leading the former NYPD officer 59% to 41% with 72% of the expected vote counted, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-highest ranking House Republican, cruised to a sixth term in Congress on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Paula Collins in New York's 21st Congressional District, the Associated Press has declared.

Voters in the North Country preferred Stefanik, an incumbent Republican and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, over Collins, a cannabis tax attorney, 62% to 38%, with about three-quarters of the vote in, according to the AP.

U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney will win a second term representing New York’s 24th Congressional District, the Associated Press declares.

The Republican lawmaker was defeating Democratic challenger David Wagenhauser in Tuesday’s elections 62.8% to 37.2%, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy will win a second term representing New York’s 23rd Congressional District, the Associated Press declares.

The freshman Republican has defeated Democrat Tom Carle in Tuesday’s election, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

U.S. Rep. Tim Kennedy has secured a full term representing Buffalo and parts of Western New York in Congress, the Associated Press declares.

The Democratic lawmaker has defeated Republican attorney Anthony Marecki in the race for New York’s 26th Congressional District, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

Rep. Paul Tonko handily won reelection to Congress on Tuesday, beating Albany Law School student Kevin Waltz in New York's 20th Congressional District, the Associated Press declared.

The Democrat, who maintains a robust presence in the Capital Region district and has been strong ally of the Biden administration, led Waltz 68% to 32% with more than a third of the expected vote in, according to the latest unofficial results from AP.

New Yorkers voted “yes” on an amendment that would expand statewide civil rights protections, the Associated Press declared Tuesday evening.

According to the AP, with 33.5% of the expected vote calculated, “Yes” had 72.1% of the vote and “No” had 27.9% of the vote as of 9:53 p.m. Tuesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the winner of New York’s 28 electoral votes in the presidential election, The Associated Press declared Tuesday evening.

According to the AP, with approximately 83% of the expected vote tallied as of 11:24 p.m. Tuesday, Harris had 56.3% of the vote, while the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, had 47.3% of the vote.

More than 40 million members of Gen Z are eligible to vote in this presidential election. Eight million are potential first-time voters.

Both presidential candidates have targeted this group, making their case to these young voters.

Spectrum News will open its website and app for viewers to watch election coverage beginning at noon Monday, Nov. 4.

For Spectrum nonsubscribers, download the Spectrum News app, available to Android and iPhone users, then tap “Live” on the menu bar at the bottom of the screen to follow our coverage.

Voter enthusiasm for the 2024 presidential election has carried over to Election Day at upstate New York polling places, where things were moving briskly and without reported incidents on Tuesday.

There were no significant lines of voters at polling stations in Albany and Saratoga counties early Tuesday. One poll worker said aside from the typical morning rush and another pickup around lunch time, things were neither quiet nor overwhelming.

It is Election Day and the polls are open.

It has been tiring at times to get to this moment. We have seen acts of political violence, candidates have been switched and barbs have been thrown from both sides of the aisle as Democrats and Republicans argue their side will promote freedom and a stronger economy. But now the decision is in the hands of voters and those barbs and political violence have only fired up voters to get out and cast a ballot. During early voting, just about 3 million people across New York went to the polls.

ALBANY, N.Y. — An amendment to New York’s constitution that would bar discrimination based on things including “gender identity” and “pregnancy outcomes" is up for a final vote Tuesday amid debate over how much it might affect future abortion and transgender rights.

Supporters and opponents disagree sharply about the potential legal impact of the Equal Rights Amendment, also known as Proposition 1.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New Yorkers could play an outsized role Tuesday in determining control of the U.S. House as Republicans cling to suburban seats they won two years ago by seizing on fears of crime, and Democrats try to claw them back by warning that a right-wing Congress might ban abortion.

If everything goes their way, Democrats hope to pick off a handful of Republican incumbents in congressional races on Long Island and in the Hudson River Valley, as well as a central New York district that state leaders recently reconfigured to make more favorable to Democrats.

After spending most of October crisscrossing the country to stump for U.S. House candidates nationwide, Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries ended the campaign season back home, with a final blitz across New York’s hotly contested congressional districts.

The goal: flip enough Republican seats to secure a Democratic House majority, making him the next House speaker.

New York religious leaders want voters this Election Day to love thy neighbor.

Various faith leaders told Spectrum News 1 they've preached messages of unity ahead of Tuesday's state and national elections, with several pushing New York voters to defeat Proposition 1, or the Equal Rights Amendment that will appear on the back of the statewide ballot.

All 213 seats in the state Legislature are up for election on Tuesday, but due to an insurmountable statewide advantage for Democrats, control of the Senate and Assembly are not up for grabs.

That said, there are still competitive races and signs that the Democrats’ supermajorities could be in jeopardy, as they were two years ago. Democrats have held a supermajority in both the state Assembly and Senate since 2020, the first time either party has had such a degree of dominance in modern times.

When you turn on your tap for a glass of water, you expect that water to be clean and safe to drink.

However, in some parts of New York and the country, lead pipes put children and adults alike at risk of serious health impacts.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- New York is the only state in the country where voters have only two choices on the ballot for president.

Green Party of New York Co-Chair Gloria Mattera chalks that up to a 2020 state budget provision that increased the threshold for automatic party ballot access to 2% or 130,000 votes, whichever is higher, in presidential and gubernatorial elections.

Mayor Eric Adams on Monday telling New Yorkers to make sure they cast a ballot in Tuesday’s election.

“My prediction is that New Yorkers are going to get out and vote. And I just want to encourage people to don’t be on the sideline and say I wish I would’ve. The name of the game: get out and vote,” Adams said.

While nearly 18 million Americans living with a disability reported voting in 2020, making their voices heard during all-important elections is not always easy.

There are a handful of federal laws that protect people living with disabilities and their right to vote: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, to name a few.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Elections officials across New York state are bracing for high turnout on Election Day.

With the huge showing in the early election process, what does that mean for Election Day turnout and the processing of returns? Based on the numbers, elections officials say turnout is expected to be high for Election Day, even though thousands of people already cast their ballots. Because of that, it may just take a bit longer to find out the results.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A key demographic for races up and down the ballots in New York are undecided voters, but what about those who have already decided not to participate?

From vying for the White House to some city or town council members, every vote matters; even the ones that aren't cast. Reaching out to as many people as we could, there's a lot of different takes about those empty ballots, but not much in the way of it being positive.

Several key races in New York could have a big impact on the balance of power in the House.

Democrats have been fighting hard to retake control from Republicans who now hold the majority by only four seats.

The state could stop using the Regents exams as a graduation requirement in January 2028 if the Board of Regents approves a plan outlined by the state education department.

“Starting in January 2028, so that’s the 2027-2028 school year, while Regents exams will be one of many ways for students to demonstrate mastery of the state's rigorous learning standards there will no longer be a separate assessment requirement to graduate high school,” Shannon Logan, director of standards and instruction for the New York State Education Department, said during a presentation Monday.

Just under 3 million people took part in early voting for the 2024 general elections in New York state, according to state Board of Elections numbers released Monday.

A total of 2,985,181 state residents voted early between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3. The highest turnout day was the first day on Saturday, Oct. 26, with 379,426 votes cast, followed closely by the last day on Sunday, with 374,843 votes cast.

The year 2024 has been an active one for New York’s delegation in the House of Representatives. A new set of congressional maps was submitted and approved, ending a years-long legal battle. Then there were two special elections — one of which to replace former Rep. George Santos after his historic expulsion — followed by a few bruising primary elections this spring.

It all comes after the 2022 elections in which Democratic House candidates across the country largely held their own and prevented an overwhelming “red wave.” But New York stood out in stark contrast. Republicans flipped four Democratic seats in the Empire State, the number that ultimately helped the GOP win their thin majority in the chamber.

HAMBURG, N.Y. — Tuesday is Election Day. With this contentious election season just about wrapped up, Spectrum News 1 spoke with some high schoolers to get their take on the electoral process.

Six local high school seniors say their AP government class has taught them a lot.

A comment made by House Speaker Mike Johnson while campaigning in upstate New York is giving Democrats last-minute fodder for their final push to win control of the U.S. House.

After rallying in a Syracuse-area battleground congressional district Friday, Johnson told reporters that Republicans could try to repeal the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act if their party controls the levers of power in Washington after Tuesday's election.

Democrat James Meyers is challenging longtime incumbent Republican Joseph Griffo for the 53rd Senate District seat.

“And I like to ask folks, well, if things aren’t getting better, why would go with the same representation we’ve had for so long?,” said Meyers.

New York’s office of the attorney general isn’t leaving voters to deal with election issues on their own.

Attorney General Letitia James has set up an Election Protection Hotline, plus she’s sent a letter to local boards of election and law enforcement reminding them of their responsibility to prevent voter intimidation. The attorney general’s election protection hotline is (866) 390-2992. You can also request assistance online at the AG’s website https://electionhotline.ag.ny.gov/.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. -- Turn on a television in Western New York and there's a good chance you'll see a political advertisement about the 143rd state Assembly District.

According to Federal Communications Commission political files, incumbent Democrat Monica Wallace has spent roughly $270,000 on ad buys from the three network affiliates.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption trial will begin next April, a judge ruled Friday, right in the thick of his promised reelection campaign.

U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho set the trial date as Adams returned to Manhattan federal court for a hearing on his bid to eliminate a key charge in the indictment that threatens his political future.

Advocates pushing to legalize medically assisted suicide in New York for terminally ill adults question why Democrats campaigning on reproductive choice this cycle have been slow to act on the proposal in Albany.

Abortion and reproductive health care have been a focal point in state and national elections since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Democrats have worked to appeal to voters by making bodily autonomy a focal point of their camapaign messaging ever since.

As the top Democrat in a key state, Gov. Kathy Hochul has much to gain from her party’s success on Nov. 5 — and possibly a lot to lose.

“If we’re able to pick up a handful of seats and if that either helps us bridge the gap or close the gap entirely and take over the majority, then New York is going to be able to stand out as a shining example,” Democratic consultant Austin Shafran told NY1.

House Speaker Mike Johnson walked back comments critical of the CHIPS and Science Act during a stop in upstate New York Friday, miles from where Micron plans to use billions from that law to fuel up to 9,000 jobs.

The question posed to Johnson, who was in Syracuse to rally with Republican Rep. Brandon Williams in his reelection bid in New York’s 22nd Congressional District, came after former President Donald Trump recently criticized the bill last week during a podcast interview.

While immigration concerns and reproductive rights are among the top issues on voters' minds as they head to the polls, experts say the outcome of the election could have a significant impact on child care policy when the current federal tax credit expires next year.

Pete Nabozny, director of policy at the Children’s Agenda, says that means a direct impact on families.

Long lines at polling locations continue heading into the last weekend before Election Day, with hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers still taking advantage of early voting.

After Friday, there are only two days left of early voting in New York. Almost 2 million New Yorkers voted over the first six days early voting was available. The large demand has caused some locations to offer extended hours.

It’s a high-stakes political rematch on the south shore of Nassau County, with Republicans and Democrats battling for control of the House of Representatives.

“The district is one that, of course, is getting a tremendous amount of national attention,” Don Levy, director of the Siena College Research Institute, said of NY-04, which covers central and southern Nassau County.

Republican Christine Esposito is challenging incumbent Democrat Marianne Buttenschon in New York's 119th Assembly District seat.

“I think you need somebody who is willing to stand up for change, stand up to have their voices heard in Central New York, the Mohawk Valley,” said Christine Esposito.

Announced during Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2024 State of the State address in January, the grant application period is now open for dairy farmers to apply for a piece of $21.6 million to modernize the storage and transportation of milk.

“New York’s dairy farms are the backbone of our agricultural industry, and they contribute so much to our communities, our economies and our long legacy of agricultural excellence,” Hochul said in a press release Friday.

This election, he has warned, is about the economy. Freedom. Stopping Project 2025 and the MAGA extremes.

And, after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, it's about democracy.

As Election Day approaches, presidential candidates are making their final pitches to secure votes. Black men have emerged as a crucial demographic in recent weeks.

A New York Times/Siena poll indicates that 78% plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, while 15% support former President Donald Trump.

Mayor Eric Adams is expected back in court Friday afternoon as his attorneys seek to have a federal bribery charge against him dismissed.

Adams was charged late last month in a federal indictment accusing him of bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. The mayor has consistently denied any wrongdoing, with his legal team arguing that prosecutors have “misunderstood” the law regarding bribery and lack evidence that Adams accepted travel perks from Turkish officials.

Drivers in New York could now face higher fines if they pass a stopped school bus with its lights flashing.

State legislation that supports harsher penalties went into effect on Friday. The bill is aimed at repeat offenders.

Election Day is just around the corner and control of the U.S. House of Representatives may run right through New York. There are several competitive races across the state that deserve scrutiny. NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza and Washington correspondent Kevin Frey weigh in on some key congressional races, as well as the six ballot measures on the back of the ticket.

After that, Mayor Adams has been very reluctant to criticize Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. In his recent rally at Madison Square Garden, Trump raised eyebrows when he praised the mayor. So what’s behind the niceties between the two politicians and what might the mayor have to gain by staying on Trump's good side? The “Off Topic" team looks at Adams’ willingness to all but break from his party right before Election Day.

The race for the 19th Congressional District is one of the most competitive in the country and remains a toss-up just days before the election.

The 11-county district spans from the Hudson Valley to the Finger Lakes, and is one of five critical seats in New York that could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday that Albany NanoTech has been selected as America’s first location for the National Semiconductor Technology Center.

“Having the federal headquarters for EUV research that is critical to the most advanced chip development in the world will benefit every corner of New York,” Schumer said. “It will supercharge the historic investments and thousands of new, good-paying jobs the chip industry has proposed across the state, spurred by my CHIPS & Science Law."

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo told a congressional panel he didn’t remember personally working on a controversial, state-issued report that tallied pandemic-related deaths in nursing homes.

Now, a Republican-led House Committee is accusing him of lying to Congress, telling the Justice Department that it should consider prosecuting him for not telling the truth about his role in crafting a state COVID report.

As we approach what could be the most consequential election of our lifetimes, there are some good government groups that are urging New York to revamp the state’s local boards of election.

They argue that the boards are patronage mills, and that many workers haven’t been professionally trained, although that’s not always the case.

Americans have seen natural disasters hit every corner of the country over the last year. In the wake of the catastrophic events, there's always the warning of price gouging on what could be essential items.

Now, more than a dozen attorneys general are calling on the federal officials to ban price gouging with New York’s Letitia James leading the charge.

Gov. Kathy Hochul came to Binghamton Thursday to check in on the revitalization of the Greater Binghamton Airport.

“One hundred-thirty-thousand work hours going into this project already," Hochul said. "We’re hoping to have this completed by next spring. It’ll be a great celebration because this is what this part of our state, the Southern Tier, deserves.”

The New York state Court of Appeals has rejected an appeal from the state Republicans challenging part of a state law that allows boards of election to count absentee ballots as soon as polls close on Election Day.

The state’s highest court on Thursday ruled the law expanding absentee balloting is constitutional, rejecting the plaintiffs’ claim the law violates the equal representation mandate in Article II, Section 8 of the New York state Constitution and constitutional principles of judicial review and separation of powers.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A semiconductor research facility in Albany was selected as one of three national technology centers and will receive up to $825 million in funding as part of a broader federal effort to boost the United States' competitiveness in the industry.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer made the announcement Thursday.

All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for reelection in November, including the 26 in New York. Spectrum News political reporters will be providing updates throughout the campaign season on New York's congressional races.

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State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani announced his mayoral run last week, looking to unseat Mayor Eric Adams, who faces an uphill battle for reelection as he fights federal corruption charges. Mamdani is running as the most progressive candidate in the crowded race so far and has already received the endorsement of the New York City Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Mamdani joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss his decision to run for mayor. The conversation also touched on his thoughts on the Adams administration, his role in helping taxi drivers, the war between Israel and Hamas and ways to improve the MTA through new technology.

It is one of the few congressional seats in New York where Democrats are on the defensive.

Hudson Valley Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat, is looking to rebuff a challenge from Republican Alison Esposito in New York’s 18th District.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo should be brought up on criminal charges for providing false statements to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic earlier this year during its investigation into how his administration handled nursing home policies during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the chairman of the Republican-led panel said in a referral written Wednesday to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Cuomo made untrue statements in an interview with members of the subcommittee about his involvement in and knowledge of the drafting of a July 6 state Health Department report, “Factors Associated with Nursing Home Infections and Fatalities in New York State During the COVID-19 Global Health Crisis,” according to the letter, signed by subcommittee chair Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a Republican from Ohio.

An additional $2.4 billion makes New York's fiscal picture rosier than expected, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the extra cash will help drive down the state's existing debt.

Higher profits on Wall Street have given the state the $2.4 billion boost — shrinking next year's budget gap to $1 billion, according to the state's Mid-Year Budget update released late Tuesday.

Besides casting their ballot for U.S. President, Congress and various state elected officials, city voters have to make a choice on whether they will green light or deny several proposals that would change the state constitution — or the New York City charter.

Now, critics of Mayor Eric Adams are working down to the wire to warn voters against several City Hall-backed changes to the city’s most powerful document come Election Day.

New York is getting extra attention this year as Democrats in the solidly blue state work to avoid the red wave that hit certain congressional districts in 2022. As New York takes center stage less than a week out from Election Day, Republicans are spending a good deal of time here.

While former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday is unlikely to tip New York’s electoral votes in his direction, Republican congressional candidates have a lot riding on turnout as House of Representatives control is almost certain to run through the Empire State.

The New York state Division of the Budget has released its mid-year update to the state’s financial plan.

The update details how much tax revenue is coming into the state’s coffers, and whether spending is on track with projections.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Across the country, independent pharmacies say they're struggling.

According to a recent New York Times investigation, nearly 800 zip codes that had at least one pharmacy in 2015 now have none. Bretta Grinsteinner works for Epic Pharmacy Network, an administrative organization that supports these small businesses and advocates on their behalf.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — How safe and secure is your ballot? That’s a question some people are asking as they vote in person, mail it, or leave it in a drop box.

“We have a really good relationship we've developed over the last couple of years with local law enforcement,” said Republican Monroe County Board of Elections Commissioner Lisa Nicolay.

Manny Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, vows to protect immigrants regardless of the results of the upcoming election.

“No matter the outcome, no matter who is president, we will work our best to make sure immigrants are protected. To make sure they know there are laws in place that protect their information,” Castro said on Wednesday.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, will make appearances in several of New York’s competitive districts at the end of the week as the campaign season enters its final days with New York potentially being decisive in which party controls the chamber.

Johnson, R-Louisiana, will campaign on Thursday in Rockland County with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in his reelection bid in New York's 17th Congressional District, which is made up of Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and southern Dutchess counties.

Accusations of lies and radicalism are punctuating a bruising congressional race outside of New York City that could determine control of the U.S. House.

In the lower Hudson Valley, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler is looking to block a comeback bid from former Rep. Mondaire Jones, a Democrat, in New York’s 17th Congressional District.

The New York state Board of Elections sent new letters to the Onondaga County Board of Elections admonishing it for mismanagement and a lack of organization when it came to handling voter registration and absentee ballot forms.

Earlier this month, the state board sent help to the county to help clear a backlog of 23,000 forms after the county missed state deadlines for processing them.

Erie County, N.Y. — The seat for Erie County District Attorney is on the ballot for the county’s voters. Current DA and Democrat Mike Keane is challenged by Republican James Gardner.

Keane had been the first deputy DA since 2017 until he took over after former DA John Flynn resigned to go into private law practice in March of this year. Keane said it was a smooth transition.

The disparity between what Republicans and Democrats believe about the national crime rate is larger than ever, according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday, and public safety will be top-of-mind for many voters headed to the polls next week.

Crime surged during the pandemic, but police data shows gun violence and other violent crime has since dipped back near pre-pandemic levels.

MAYVILLE, N.Y. — Linda Seleen, 77, has been an election poll worker for a little more than a decade, one of thousands of older adults found at sites across New York state.

"I enjoy talking to the people that come in," said Seleen. "I feel like I'm contributing an important role in the community."

State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani announced his mayoral run last week, looking to unseat Mayor Eric Adams, who faces an uphill battle for reelection as he fights federal corruption charges.

He is running as the most progressive candidate so far, and has already received the endorsement of the New York City Chapter for the Democratic Socialists of America.

Over the next week, Americans are going to be deluged by misinformation and disinformation. It might take the form of fake texts to college students telling them it’s illegal to vote on campus, even if they’re registered there. Or it could be a phone call with an AI-generated voice that sounds like Joe Biden telling voters not to bother to vote. Or it could appear as a fake photograph of an election worker ripping up ballots cast for Donald Trump.

None of it is real, yet this kind of disinformation is ubiquitous.

An incident at a polling site is underlining some concerns voters have about security and safety when casting their votes.

Albany County has excused one of its poll workers after they read a voter’s ballot aloud at the Bought Fire Community Fire Department in Cohoes on Monday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The New York state Department of Transportation has canceled a stakeholders' meeting about the planned $1 billion Kensington Expressway project in Buffalo for the second month in a row.

BREAKING: NYS DOT is canceling a Nov. stakeholders meeting regarding the Kensington Expressway project. It canceled this month’s too after a judge put a TRO on construction, which he extended indefinitely last week. It plans to “discuss a path forward” once there is a decision.

Mayor Eric Adams refused to answer a question about former President Donald Trump.

“When was the last time you spoke to Trump or his team? Give me another question, please. You lost your opportunity. Give me another question, please," Adams said Tuesday.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Election officials and the United States Postal Service are sharing important information for those choosing the mail-in voting option this year.

The USPS says it’s expecting its election mail service performance to be equal to or better than what customers experienced during the last presidential election.

As Election Day approaches, candidates for New York’s 20th Congressional District are making their final pitches to voters.

The incumbent, Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, who has represented the district since 2009, is seeking a ninth term in office. He's being challenged by Kevin Waltz, an Albany Law student looking to bring a different perspective to this competitive race.

Two candidates — one a town supervisor, the other a county legislator, are seeking the opportunity to represent the New York state Senate District 50 of Central New York.

Democrat Chris Ryan, an Onondaga County legislator, and Republican Nick Paro, the town of Salina supervisor, have experience in the political world and say they are ready to take the next step — into Albany. The seat is open due to state Sen. John Mannion running for Congress, looking to flip New York's 22nd Congressional District seat back to the Democrats.

It was a busy weekend at the polls for the first two days of early voting. Many polling places across New York state saw lines.

You could call it a record-breaking start to the voting season, but this year is far different by comparison to recent presidential election years. In 2020, the country was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in 2016, there was no early voting yet in New York state.

Early voting kicked off this weekend to a record turnout.

More than 140,000 people voted on the first day, which beats the first day in 2020 by nearly 50,000 votes.

Outside of the race for the White House, the contest for New York’s 22nd Congressional District promises to be one of the most closely watched races in the nation on election night. It’s one of Democrats’ best shots to pick up a seat coast to coast.

The district covers Onondaga and Madison counties, as well as parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties, including the cities of Syracuse and Utica. The race pits incumbent Republican Rep. Brandon Williams against Democratic state Sen. John Mannion.

Upset following comments made during former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, local, state and federal elected officials gathered together in East Harlem Monday afternoon.

“The comments made yesterday were racist, vile and reprehensible,” Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, said at the gathering.

A little more than a week before the presidential election, Donald Trump is praising an unlikely politician — the Democratic mayor of New York City.

“I have to tell you, he’s been really great, and he said that they shouldn’t be calling Trump a dictator because it's not true that’s nice,” Trump said at his Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday. “We want to thank Mayor [Eric] Adams. He’s going through a hard time with these people.”