You weave through campus after a late library session, your mind still buzzing with formulas and deadlines, when downtown voters are turning over something big — something with echoes right here in your life between Newark, Hoboken, and the Hudson’s edge. On November 4, the ballot boxes in both New York City and New Jersey clicked shut, and the map shifted in ways that could affect your rent, your commute, and your weekend skyline view.
In New York, the name on everyone’s lips is Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old state assemblyman overtook former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s well-funded campaign, which focused on the safety and security of schools and the city overall, as well as Republican Curtis Sliwa, who campaigned on lowering taxes and ensuring equal housing. Mamdani won the mayor’s seat with just over 50% of the vote, compared to Cuomo’s roughly 42%. He will be the city’s first Muslim mayor and the youngest in over a century. His platform centered on rent freezes, free buses, and affordable housing.
New Jersey didn’t stay quiet either. Across the river, Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and congresswoman, clinched the governorship against Jack Ciattarelli, keeping the Democratic line intact in the state house. Sherrill’s campaign focused on continuing Governor Phil Murphy’s transit and housing initiatives — expanding NJ Transit reliability programs, introducing targeted property tax relief, and creating incentives for affordable housing near college hubs like Hoboken and Newark. On the trail, she visited North Jersey campuses and small businesses, framing her platform around ensuring the state remains “livable for the next generation”. Ciattarelli, by contrast, emphasized fiscal restraint and school choice, arguing for a return to balance in the state. For students, these competing visions address issues that directly affect campus life — housing costs, bus access, and transit funding.
What stands out is not just who won, but why they won. Voters across the region clearly signaled that the cost of living, transit reliability, and day-to-day infrastructure all matter. In New York, early coverage noted that the signal was loud and clear. For students renting in Jersey or commuting to Manhattan, these aren’t distant policy debates — they’re Tuesday night worries, 2 a.m. bus waits, and budget spreadsheets.
And local races followed the script. In New York City, borough president and city council contests still leaned heavily Democratic, though pockets of Republican support emerged, such as Staten Island’s strong Republican showing. In New Jersey, besides the governor’s race, the state Assembly contests also carried weight — suggesting whoever governs won’t just talk about housing and transit, they’ll have the votes.
So what does this mean while you’re sitting in the UCC between recitation and dinner, weighed down by “next semester’s rent” thoughts and “will the bus ever come” dread? It means the policy winds might turn faster than you expect.
Of course, change is not instant. You won’t wake up tomorrow to free buses or rent-be-gone apartments. But what you might see is budget proposals that take your neighborhood into account, transit developments that affect your dorm-to-class route, and housing regulation tweaks that slow the rent creep. And if you’re studying or commuting in this region, that matters.
On campus, you should watch how these new officials show up in your lane. Do they follow through on their pledge for affordability? Do students get a piece of the policy conversation, or are we still passively experiencing the ripples? Will the commuter-student voice be heard in state government, not just drowned in the city-hall echo chamber?
The results mark a potential turning point for regional policy. Local governance changes could influence how cities approach housing, transportation, and affordability in the coming year. For students and commuters in the area, those shifts may shape daily life — from off-campus rent prices to transit options across the Hudson.
