A new poll shows that a clear majority of New York City voters believe the city is headed in the wrong direction just 100 days into Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s term. The Emerson College/PIX11 survey released on April 9, 2026, found that 59 percent of registered voters say New York City is on the wrong track, while only 41 percent believe it is moving in the right direction.
The results highlight growing discontent among key demographic groups. 68 percent of Hispanic voters, 64 percent of Asian voters, and 58 percent of Black voters said the city is on the wrong track. White voters were more evenly split, with 51 percent saying the right direction and 49 percent saying the wrong track.
Mamdani’s job approval rating stands at 43 percent approve and 27 percent disapprove, giving him a net positive but relatively modest score for a new mayor. Among those who actually voted in the November 2025 mayoral election, his approval rises to 55 percent approve and 29 percent disapprove. The poll was conducted April 5–6, 2026, among 850 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent.
This poll stands in contrast to some other surveys, such as the recent Marist poll, which showed more positive views on the city’s direction. However, the Emerson numbers reflect widespread frustration with daily life in New York City under progressive leadership that prioritizes higher taxes on the wealthy, expanded social services, and affordability measures that have yet to deliver clear results for working families.
Conservatives have warned for years that democratic socialist policies like those championed by Mamdani — including heavy taxation, expansive government programs, and soft approaches to crime and illegal immigration — would accelerate New York City’s decline. The poll suggests many voters, including minority communities often courted by the left, are already feeling the effects in higher costs, street safety concerns, and strained city services.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist and the city’s first Muslim mayor, has focused his early agenda on childcare expansion, housing affordability initiatives, and raising taxes on high earners. Yet the survey indicates that these priorities have not translated into broad confidence that the city is improving. Crime, homelessness, migrant shelter costs, and business flight continue to burden residents and taxpayers.
The results come as New York City grapples with the consequences of years of progressive governance. Sanctuary policies have strained resources, with billions spent on housing and services for illegal migrants. Many New Yorkers see little relief in sight under Mamdani’s leadership, which aligns closely with the failed approaches of previous Democratic mayors.
This poll serves as an early warning sign for Mamdani and the Democratic machine that has long dominated New York City politics. When even a plurality approve of the mayor personally but a solid majority say the city itself is on the wrong track, it suggests voters are separating the individual from the results of the policies being pursued.
America First conservatives argue that cities thrive when they enforce the rule of law, control spending, secure borders, and put working families first — not when they chase socialist experiments that drive up costs and erode quality of life. The Emerson poll data shows that a growing number of New Yorkers appear to be reaching the same conclusion.
As Mamdani marks his first 100 days, the disconnect between his personal approval and the city’s overall direction reveals a familiar pattern: voters may like the messenger in the short term, but they dislike the outcomes produced by big-government progressive policies.
New York City residents pay some of the highest taxes in the nation yet continue to face crumbling infrastructure, public safety challenges, and an influx of costs tied to unchecked migration. The poll suggests patience is wearing thin.
