The Results of the Off-year Elections

Off-year elections were held on November 4 this year, and they yielded some interesting results. The Democrats’ hold in the government has increased as most of the elections turned up democratic, causing this to be described as a “blue wave” election. There are a few fascinating outcomes that sprung from this blue wave, such as the election of Zohran Mamdani and Abigail Spanberger.

Zohran Mamdani announced his running for the 2025 New York City mayoral election on October 23, 2024. He is a Democratic Socialist, born on October 18, 1991, in Uganda. He ran against Andrew Cuomo and won the majority of votes in all boroughs except for Staten Island. Mamdani is the youngest mayor of New York City since 1892 at 34 years old. He received criticism for this, as well as the fact that his campaign advertisements targeted a younger audience. His platform intends to increase the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, provide universal childcare, and calls for increased taxes on corporations. Mamdani is also the first Indian American and Muslim mayor of the city. He has expressed the need for NYPD reform and its defunding, with greater cooperation in violent crime measures, but a decrease in involvement in other matters. Another plan that he has is to have the government run a grocery store chain in all boroughs to keep store prices low.

Meanwhile, in Virginia, the Democrats got another win with Abigail Spanberger, who made history by becoming the first woman to serve as governor of Virginia. A former CIA officer and congresswoman, Spanberger emerged victorious over Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. Virginia, known for its abundance of federal workers, sided with Spanberger; more than 500,000 voters chose her over Earle-Sears, resulting in a 57.5% to 42.3% split. Throughout her campaign, Spanberger scrutinized many of Trump’s economic policies, supported the right for women to have an abortion and proper health care, and criticized her opponent and the government shutdown. For many voters, this approach worked, as they viewed the election as a way to combat President Trump and let out their frustration regarding the government shutdown. 

Another governor race occurred in New Jersey, where the Democrats came out on top once again. New Jersey, often a blue state, voted 56.6% to 42.8% in favor of Democrat Mikie Sherrill, beating Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli. Sherrill will succeed Democrat Phil Murphy, who acted as New Jersey’s governor for two terms. While both her and Ciatterelli’s campaigns centered around the cost of living, Ciatterelli proposed the lowering of personal and corporate taxes as opposed to Sherrill’s incentives for new housing and freezing increased utility bills. A few weeks before the election, President Trump endorsed fellow Republican Ciatterelli, apparently notifying him by phone before publicly supporting him with a post on Truth Social. Similar to the New York and Virginia races, many view this election as an overall indicator on the public’s perception of current President Donald Trump and his policies. 

A few minor elections occurred in Pennsylvania, where the Democratic state’s Supreme Court justices will hold their positions for another 10-year term. Additionally, Maine rejected a proposition that would require voters to present photo identification when voting. Finally, California’s Proposition 50, a direct response to Texas’s redistricting policy, won in a 64.6% Yes to 35.4% No vote. Essentially, this proposition allows California to redraw the state’s voting districts, giving Democratic candidates a better chance at getting elected. 

Overall, this off-year election was a massive victory for the Democratic Party and those who are taking a stand against Trump and the Republican Party.