Primary day in NY: Everything to know about casting your vote

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Posted: Jun 28, 2022 / 08:03 AM EDT

Updated: Jun 28, 2022 / 02:41 PM EDT

NEW YORK (PIX11) — New Yorkers around the state head to the polls Tuesday for primary elections.

Six other states are also holding primaries as the nation comes to terms with last week’s stunning Supreme Court ruling eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion. This week’s nominating contests could offer the first clues as to whether the political landscape has shifted.

Tuesday’s election could determine whether Gov. Kathy Hochul keeps her job. New York is one of the bluest states in the country. Democrats have more than twice as many registered voters as Republicans and have held the governor’s mansion for 15 years.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Who’s running for governor? The Democratic candidates:

Hochul, who was vaulted into office last fall when Andrew Cuomo resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal, is trying to hold on to her job.

Hochul, a Democrat from western New York, is facing challenges from New York City’s elected public advocate, Jumaane Williams, and Rep. Tom Suozzi, a moderate congressman from Long Island.

Hochul, who was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor for six years, promised to restore New Yorkers’ faith in its government after stepping into the office last summer, but she hit a major stumbling block in April when her handpicked lieutenant governor was arrested in a federal corruption probe.

Williams, a progressive running to Hochul’s left, said Hochul is either “consistently shamefully out of the loop, or shamefully enabling through her inaction.” Suozzi, running to Hochul’s right, says she’s not being tough enough on crime, suggesting she should have gone further to harden the state’s bail law.

Who’s running for governor? The Republican candidates:

On the Republican side, Rep. Lee Zeldin is considered the front-runner in a crowded field that features Andrew Giuliani, the son of New York City’s former mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino; and businessman Harry Wilson.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has endorsed Zeldin, who also enjoys the backing of the state GOP and Conservative Party, but former President Donald Trump has stayed out of the race.

What else is on the primary ballot?

Voters can pick more than just New York’s next governor. They can also vote in the races for lieutenant governor, state assembly, judges and party positions.

Primary elections for U.S. House seats and the state Senate will be held on Aug. 23. Those elections were delayed because of a redistricting lawsuit that led a court to throw out new political maps.