Cuomo Supporters Hamptons Voter Registration Push Aims to Block Zohran Mamdani

Supporters of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are launching a targeted Hamptons voter registration push designed to block Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in November’s election.

According to the New York Post, the campaign urges wealthy Hamptons residents — many of whom own second homes in New York City — to switch their voter registration to the city in time to cast their ballots.

Cuomo Supporters Hamptons Voter Registration Strategy Targets Moderates

Steven M. Cohen, chairman of the pro-Cuomo political action committee Fix the City, said the effort is aimed at moderate Democrats in the Hamptons, including restaurateurs, business owners, and long-time residents with deep ties to NYC politics.

“These are people who care about what’s happening in the city,” Cohen explained. He claims to have spoken to dozens of residents, including some “very high profile” figures, who have already agreed to make the switch.

“You don’t win elections because you did one thing right, but by doing a hundred things right. This might be just a few thousand votes, but elections have been won and lost on less than that,” Cohen said.

Reverse of a 2024 Voter Registration Tactic

The tactic mirrors a reverse strategy used in 2024, when New York City Democrats with second homes in the Hamptons were urged to register there to vote against Republican Rep. Nick LaLota. Despite the push, LaLota defeated Democrat and former CNN anchor John Avlon by nearly 11 percentage points.

This time, the voter flow would move in the opposite direction — from Hamptons to NYC — with the specific goal of preventing Mamdani’s election.

Cohen Dismisses Tax Concerns and Stresses Legality

Cohen has acknowledged that some Hamptons residents initially raised concerns about potential tax consequences if they switched voter registration. He dismissed those fears outright.

“There are no tax implications at all — that’s part of the message,” he insisted, adding that the New York State Board of Elections only prohibits voting in two places, not holding residences in both.

Cohen emphasized that the process is legal and straightforward, provided the individual has a “legitimate, bona fide” second residence in New York City. He framed the initiative as part of a “longer-term play” to increase civic participation from politically engaged New Yorkers who split their time between the Hamptons and the city.

Opposition from GOP Donor and Legal Insights

Not everyone supports the plan. Republican donor and Hamptons metals magnate Andy Sabin warned that participating could expose residents to unwanted scrutiny.

“You open up a can of worms to audits and everything else — you’d be crazy to do it,” Sabin told the Post.

Election attorney Jerry Goldfeder offered a different perspective, noting that the only requirement is to file a change-of-address with the Board of Elections using a new, legitimate registration form.

Some Residents Ready to Make the Switch

For certain Hamptons residents, the political stakes are personal. Mitchel Agoos, an 87-year-old who maintains homes in both East Hampton and New York City, confirmed he is in the process of switching his registration.

Agoos, who has voted in Suffolk County for decades and supports Republican activist Curtis Sliwa, described Mamdani as an “antisemite” and a “disaster.”

“I want to vote in this election,” Agoos said. “I’d feel great to vote against him.”

The Road Ahead in a Tight Political Climate

With the November election looming, Cohen’s effort represents one of many micro-strategies that could influence the outcome. While a few thousand votes might seem insignificant in a city of millions, history has shown that tight races can be decided by far smaller margins.

Whether the initiative will succeed remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the intersection of wealth, political influence, and voter mobility in New York politics is once again in the spotlight.