Jalen Brunson, 'Jackson Dart', and Lou Gehrig Receive Write-In Votes in NYC Mayor Election

The New York City mayoral contest concluded last month with Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo to succeed Eric Adams at City Hall. However, the write-in votes revealed a surprising assortment of names that went beyond the official candidates.

On Tuesday, the city released the complete list of write-in votes, showing that numerous New Yorkers cast ballots for a wide range of athletes and other public figures. Some names were misspelled, while others were long deceased. Remarkably, one choice had not been associated with a New York team since 1957.

The compilation of write-in selections paints a picture of the city'sand possibly the nation'scurrent cultural landscape. Beyond Mamdani and Cuomo, voters included Bad Bunny, Harriet Tubman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bart Simpson, Bette Midler, Jesus Christ, and several politicians who were not running for office.

Among sports personalities, choices varied from current stars to historic figures. New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau were on the list, as were baseball legends Hank Aaron (who passed away in 2021) and Lou Gehrig (who died in 1941). Brooklyn native Sandy Koufax, who left New York in the 1950s, also received a vote at age 89 while still attending World Series games.

Other athletes receiving votes included Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who earned two to three mentions depending on spelling, his teammate running back Cam Skattebo, and Yankees playoff contributor Cam Schlittler. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, along with NFL stars who spent their careers facing New York teamsNew England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, and Tom Bradywere also write-in recipients.

Media figures received attention as well. ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith was written in twice, while Mark Davis and Martin Smith also appeared, though it is unclear whether voters referred to the Las Vegas Raiders owner or the ESPN reporter.

In total write-in tallies among athletes, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson led with 27 votes, followed by Yankees slugger Aaron Judge with 11. Including alternate spellings like "Jaylen Brunson" and "Jalen Bronson," Brunson tied with Hillary Clinton for the 12th-highest total among all write-in candidates.

Other sports figures appearing on the list included former Knicks coach Tom/Thomas Thibodeau, with two votes.

Author: Maya Henderson