AP Declares Kathy Hochul Winner of New York Governor Race While Votes Are Still Being Counted
The Associated Press declared Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, the winner of New York’s governor’s race at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 3, as polls closed. Her challenger was Republican Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive. Votes were still being counted statewide, and all results remain unofficial at this time, despite the early race call.
AP Calls New York Governor Race for Kathy Hochul as Polls Close
The Associated Press declared Hochul the winner as polls closed. Bloomberg reported that polls showed Hochul leading throughout the campaign.
Why the AP Called the New York Governor Race Before Most Votes Were Counted
The AP said it declares a winner at poll closing only in races not expected to be competitive, when all available evidence points to an overwhelming victory. That evidence can include past vote results, pre-election polling, campaign fundraising and spending, and results from the AP’s Voter Poll, which surveyed actual voters. WAMC reported that 13% of votes were counted as of 9:09 p.m.
New York Governor Vote Count: Where the Numbers Stand & How Many Votes Remain
The AP estimated that 69% of votes were counted. At that point, Hochul had 3,063,758 votes, or 62.7%, and Blakeman had 1,813,864, or 37.1%. Write-in votes totaled 9,592, or 0.2%.
Early returns showed a wider margin. JNS reported that Hochul had 74.2% of the vote to Blakeman’s 25.6%, with about 16% of votes counted at press time.
The AP’s declaration is a projection, and at the time of this publication, counting is still underway. Ballots from across the state, including those cast under emergency procedures in Westchester County, were still to be added to the totals. All figures in this story are unofficial and will change as more votes are reported.
Westchester County Ballot Scanner Problems on New York Election Day
CBS New York reported that voting machines at polling sites in Westchester County were not accepting ballots on Tuesday. The New York State Board of Elections said voting continued under emergency ballot procedures, with bipartisan oversight of completed ballots. The board said it will count every valid vote.
Hochul’s Path to the 2026 New York Governor Race
Hochul became governor in August 2021, after Andrew Cuomo resigned. She was elected to a full term in 2022. WAER reported that she won that race by 6 points over Republican Lee Zeldin. It also noted that Republicans have not won a statewide election in New York since George Pataki won his third term in 2002.
Hochul and Blakeman Campaign Platforms in the New York Governor Race
Hochul campaigned on affordability measures, including energy rebate checks, a pause on data center construction, and expanded child care. She also criticized Blakeman’s friendship with President Donald Trump.
Blakeman campaigned on cutting high utility costs and called for state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE. In their only debate, he blamed state taxes and climate mandates for making New York unaffordable. WAER added that he pledged to cut income taxes and criticized Hochul’s record on crime and immigration.
Hochul and Adrienne Adams Set to Be Sworn In on New Year’s Day 2027
Hochul ran with Adrienne Adams, who NY1 reported served as speaker of the New York City Council from 2022 to 2025. The pair will be sworn in on New Year’s Day 2027.
Here's Who's Running For Governor of New York in 2026
Gallery Credit: Ed Nice