Indian American turnout soared in mayoral poll despite Hindutva campaign against Zohran Mamdani

When Zohran Mamdani became New York City’s first South Asian and Muslim mayor on November 4, his victory was powered in part by strong support from the city’s South Asian immigrant communities.

New data analysed by Desis Rising Up and Moving Beats, a South Asian organising group that mobilised voters for Mamdani’s campaign, shows that Indian American voter turnout was particularly high in council districts with large Indian American populations – this despite a coordinated campaign by Hindutva groups to claim he was anti-Hindu.

In Council District 39, which covers parts of Brooklyn including Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Sunset Park, Indian American voter turnout was 64%. Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs that constitute the city. The other four are Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and