Final Schedule, Qualified Candidates for NYC’s Official Citywide Primary Election Debates

05/29/2025

NEW YORK – The New York City Campaign Finance Board, along with its voter engagement initiative NYC Votes, is partnering with WNBC, NY1, and PIX11 to broadcast the citywide mayoral, comptroller, and public advocate debates ahead of the primary election on June 24. Participation in these debates is required for candidates who opted into the city’s Matching Funds Program and who meet the debate stage criteria (listed below). Any potential debate with fewer than two qualified candidates will not go forward.  

The debates program begins tonight, May 29, at 7pm ET with the 1st Democratic Comptroller debate, sponsored by PIX11.  

The Campaign Finance Board is announcing the final debates schedule and the candidates eligible to participate in each debate: 

Primary Debate Schedule

Comptroller – 1st Democratic Primary Election Debate (PIX11)
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 7pm

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Justin Brannan 
  2. Mark Levine 

Mayoral – 1st Democratic Primary Election Debate (WNBC)
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 7pm

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Adrienne Adams 
  2. Michael Blake 
  3. Andrew Cuomo 
  4. Brad Lander 
  5. Zohran Mamdani 
  6. Zellnor Myrie 
  7. Jessica Ramos 
  8. Scott Stringer 
  9. Whitney Tilson 

Public Advocate – 1st Democratic Primary Election Debate (PIX11)
Thursday, June 5, 2025, 7pm

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Jenifer Rajkumar 
  2. Jumaane Williams 

Comptroller – Leading Contender Democratic Primary Election Debate (NY1)
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 7pm

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Justin Brannan 
  2. Mark Levine 

Mayoral – Leading Contender Democratic Primary Election Debate (NY1)
Thursday, June 12, 2025, 7pm

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Adrienne Adams
  2. Andrew Cuomo 
  3. Brad Lander 
  4. Zohran Mamdani 
  5. Zellnor Myrie
  6. Scott Stringer 
  7. Whitney Tilson 

Public Advocate – Leading Contender Democratic Primary Election Debate (WNBC)
Saturday, June 14, 2025 / Sunday, June 15, 2025, Final Date and Time To Be Announced

Qualified Candidates: 

  1. Jumaane Williams 
  2. Jenifer Rajkumar

Debate Participation Criteria

The following chart represents the objective criteria for participation in the primary debates for each office:

Debate 

Office 

Criteria 

First Primary 

Mayor  

  1. On ballot 

  1. Raised and spent $198,300 

Public Advocate  

  1. On ballot  

  1. Raised and spent $123,975 

Comptroller 

  1. On ballot  

  1. Raised and spent $123,975 

Second Primary
(Leading Contenders) 

Mayor  

      
      1. On ballot 

      2. (a) Raised and spent $2,379,600, OR  
          (b) Raising $250,000 in matchable contributions, including at least 1,000 matchable contributions of $10 or more
          

Public Advocate  

  1. On ballot  

  1. (a) Raised and spent $1,487,700 OR 

          (b) Raising $125,000 in matchable contributions, including at least 500 matchable contributions of $10 or more 

Comptroller 

  1. On ballot 

  1. (a) Raised and spent $1,487,700 OR  

          (b) Raising $125,000 in matchable contributions, including at least 500 matchable contributions of $10 or more 

*All raised and spent amounts as of the disclosure statement due on May 23, 2025.