Zohran Mamdani to become mayor as NYC rings in New Year

Zohran Mamdani will assume office as New York City’s (NYC) next mayor as the new year begins.

According to his team, Mamdani will be sworn in twice on Thursday, following a long-standing city tradition. The first ceremony will be held shortly after midnight in a private gathering with family members at Manhattan’s former City Hall subway station.

A second, larger ceremony is planned for later in the day and will feature a public block party outside City Hall.

In New York, a mayor’s term officially starts as soon as the calendar turns to January 1, which has led past mayors to hold both intimate and public swearing-in events. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams marked the start of his term with a late-night ceremony in Times Square, while former mayor Bill de Blasio took his first oath at his Brooklyn home.

Mamdani’s initial oath will take place in the historic City Hall subway station, one of the earliest stops on the city’s underground transit system. Known for its ornate arches and vaulted ceilings, the station was once intended as the showpiece of New York’s first subway line before being closed in 1945.

Today, it is rarely seen by the public except during guided tours or by riders who remain on the No. 6 train as it loops around at the end of the line.

New York Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office. She is a close political ally of Mamdani and a prominent critic of US President Donald Trump.

Explaining the choice of venue, Mamdani’s office said it reflects his “commitment to the working people who keep our city running every day.”