NYC NOW Evening Roundup: New Yorkers Turn Out for Election Day, and Why New York State Wants to Shut Down the Company Behind NYC’s Mayor’s Race Odds
Nov 4, 2025
John Campbell, a WNYC reporter specializing in legal developments, dives into the surge of voter turnout in NYC, revealing over a million ballots cast before noon on Election Day. He explains how the trading platform Kalshi operates, detailing its event contracts and payout mechanics related to the mayoral race. Campbell elaborates on New York State's legal challenge against Kalshi, arguing it runs an illegal betting operation, while the company insists it’s complying with federal regulations. This could spark a significant legal battle reaching the Supreme Court.
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Surprisingly High Midday Turnout
- Early numbers show over a million New Yorkers voted before noon, including 735,000 early voters from the early voting period.
- Turnout by midday exceeded totals from many previous off-year elections, signaling unusually high engagement.
Voters Share Why They Cast Ballots In Person
- John Campbell voted on Election Day because he enjoys the experience and took his daughter along.
- Other voters on the street described their candidate choices and reasons, showing varied personal motivations.
How Predictive Market Contracts Work
- Kalshi operates predictive markets where users buy event contracts that pay $1 if the predicted outcome occurs.
- Contracts cost between $0.01 and $0.99 and reflect the market-implied probability of outcomes like mayoral winners.