The New York City 2025 mayoral race continues in earnest Wednesday with the first Democratic mayoral primary debate. Nine candidates have qualified to participate.
NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU and POLITICO New York are partnering as hosts after being selected by the Campaign Finance Board.
The two-hour debate will originate from WNBC's 30 Rockefeller Center studios and include one commercial break an hour in. There won't be an audience. Here are the rest of the rules, and other key details to know.
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WATCH HERE- Candidates will not deliver opening or closing statements.
- Topics and questions are confidential and known only to the debate editorial team. The editorial team will determine the order in which questions are asked.
- Not every candidate will have a chance to respond to every question due to time constraints, but every candidate will be heard.
- Moderators can ask specific questions to candidates at their discretion
- Candidates will have a minute to answer questions on some topics; they'll have 30 seconds to highlight some policy positions. Candidates will also be asked to answer Lightning Round questions
- Candidates who ignore time rules and warnings from moderators will have their microphones turned off
- Moderators, at their discretion, may allow candidates to rebut an attack or accusation. Rebuttals will be limited to 30 seconds.
When is the debate and how can I watch?
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SIGN UP The debate will be held on Wednesday, June 4 on the platforms of NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47.
It will air live on WNBC-TV and across WNBC's and WNJU-TV's streaming and digital platforms, including the NBC 4 New York and Telemundo Noreste streaming channels.
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Each broadcast will be translated into Spanish for WNJU audiences and will also include a sign-language interpreter and closed captioning access for the hearing impaired for both WNBC and WNJU audiences.
What time is the debate?
The debate starts at 7 p.m. ET.
Which candidates qualified for the debate?
The list of qualified candidates for the June 4 debate, according to the NYC Campaign Finance Board are, in alphabetical order:
- Adrienne Adams
- Michael Blake
- Andrew Cuomo
- Brad Lander
- Zohran Mamdani
- Zellnor Myrie
- Jessica Ramos
- Scott Stringer
- Whitney Tilson
Why isn't Eric Adams in the debate?
Mayor Eric Adams is running in this election as an independent, so he will not participate in the Democratic primary debate.
Who are the moderators?
NBC New York Anchor David Ushery, NBC New York Government Affairs Reporter Melissa Russo, Telemundo 47 Anchor Rosarina Bretón and Senior New York Editor at POLITICO Sally Goldenberg.
