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| New York City goes to polls in first mayoral vote | New York City goes to polls in first mayoral vote |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Voters in New York City have gone to the polls as the city begins the process of replacing long-time mayor Mike Bloomberg. | Voters in New York City have gone to the polls as the city begins the process of replacing long-time mayor Mike Bloomberg. |
| Recent polling suggests Bill de Blasio, the city's public advocate, is leading a nine-way Democratic race. | |
| The race has focused on Mr Bloomberg's legacy, with Democrats promising a new direction while Republicans largely want to uphold his policies. | |
| The winner of each party's primary will vie in November's mayoral election. | |
| Mr Bloomberg has not explicitly endorsed a candidate in either primary. | Mr Bloomberg has not explicitly endorsed a candidate in either primary. |
| Minority vote key? | |
| But he attacked Mr de Blasio in an exit interview with New York magazine last week. | But he attacked Mr de Blasio in an exit interview with New York magazine last week. |
| Mr Bloomberg argued the candidate's focus on his biracial family in the campaign was meant to fuel "class warfare" and was potentially "racist". | Mr Bloomberg argued the candidate's focus on his biracial family in the campaign was meant to fuel "class warfare" and was potentially "racist". |
| The former city councillor, who is white, and his wife, who is black, have hit back against Mr Bloomberg for the comments. | The former city councillor, who is white, and his wife, who is black, have hit back against Mr Bloomberg for the comments. |
| Analysts suggest minority voters will make up the majority of Tuesday's Democratic vote. | Analysts suggest minority voters will make up the majority of Tuesday's Democratic vote. |
| Polls opened at 06:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday and close at 21:00. | |
| There will be run-off elections if no candidate reaches 40% of their primary's vote. | |
| Mr de Blasio's polling numbers indicate he could avoid such an outcome. | |
| A Quinnipiac survey suggested he would gain 39% of the Democratic vote. Another put Mr de Blasio at 36% of the vote. | |
| His closest rivals are Christine Quinn, the city council speaker who is vying to be the first female and openly gay mayor of the city, and Bill Thompson, the city's former comptroller and sole African-American in the primary. | His closest rivals are Christine Quinn, the city council speaker who is vying to be the first female and openly gay mayor of the city, and Bill Thompson, the city's former comptroller and sole African-American in the primary. |
| Mr Thompson came close to defeating Mr Bloomberg in the general election of 2009. | Mr Thompson came close to defeating Mr Bloomberg in the general election of 2009. |
| Lupe Moreno, 65, a real estate broker, who voted in Harlem for Ms Quinn, told the Associated Press: "I think she's got the experience from working with Bloomberg." | Lupe Moreno, 65, a real estate broker, who voted in Harlem for Ms Quinn, told the Associated Press: "I think she's got the experience from working with Bloomberg." |
| Another voter in the same neighbourhood said Mr de Blasio "represents the most change" for the city. | Another voter in the same neighbourhood said Mr de Blasio "represents the most change" for the city. |
| Anthony Weiner, a former Congressman who resigned after sending lewd pictures and messages to women he met online, has plunged in the mayoral polls since admitting during the campaign to similar conduct. | |
| Mr de Blasio has benefited from Mr Weiner's fall in the polls, analysts say, but has also gained support for criticising the controversial police practice known as stop-and-frisk in New York. | Mr de Blasio has benefited from Mr Weiner's fall in the polls, analysts say, but has also gained support for criticising the controversial police practice known as stop-and-frisk in New York. |
| A judge recently ruled that the policy, as applied by the New York Police Department, was discriminatory and unconstitutional. | A judge recently ruled that the policy, as applied by the New York Police Department, was discriminatory and unconstitutional. |
| The Republican primary, a three-way race, has attracted less interest, as registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by six-to-one. | The Republican primary, a three-way race, has attracted less interest, as registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by six-to-one. |
| The leading contender is Joe Lhota, the former head of the city's transit service. He will face a grocery store mogul, John Catsimatidis, and non-profit organisation founder George McDonald. | The leading contender is Joe Lhota, the former head of the city's transit service. He will face a grocery store mogul, John Catsimatidis, and non-profit organisation founder George McDonald. |
| But the city has not elected a Democratic mayor in five terms, including Mr Bloomberg's three terms, one in which he ran as an independent. | But the city has not elected a Democratic mayor in five terms, including Mr Bloomberg's three terms, one in which he ran as an independent. |
| The city's next mayor will inherit several budget problems, including a deficit of about $2bn (£1.2bn) and increased costs expected as teachers, firefighters, police and many other city employees are working under expired contracts. | The city's next mayor will inherit several budget problems, including a deficit of about $2bn (£1.2bn) and increased costs expected as teachers, firefighters, police and many other city employees are working under expired contracts. |