More than 50 signatures submitted in support of Mayor Eric Adams’ bid to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming mayoral election have been deemed fraudulent, according to a report published on Friday by The Gothamist.
The investigation identified at least 52 signatures from individuals who alleged their names had been forged, including three signatories who were confirmed to be deceased. Several others claimed they had been misled into signing the petition.
Despite the apparent irregularities, the discovery is unlikely to significantly threaten Adams’ qualification for the 4 November ballot, which requires 7,500 valid signatures. The campaign has already submitted close to 50,000 signatures.
Still, the revelations add complexity to an already crowded and contentious race. Adams is running as an independent alongside former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and former federal prosecutor Jim Walden. The Democratic nominee is State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, while Republican Curtis Sliwa is also in the running.
The alleged flaws in Adams’ petition drive point to broader concerns about the ballot access system, particularly as more candidates seek to bypass New York’s ranked-choice primary process. The Gothamist suggested that these loopholes may face increased scrutiny in future elections.
The irregularities reportedly stemmed from at least nine petitioning workers, who collectively submitted over 5,000 signatures. One individual is said to have collected more than 700 signatures in a single day, with several petitions showing “strikingly similar handwriting” from multiple residents within the same building.
Adams’ campaign did not immediately respond to media inquiries. However, a previous statement to The Gothamist noted that it expects third-party vendors to follow all legal protocols and that it would be conducting an internal review. An attorney representing the campaign said that Adams did not instruct anyone to engage in unlawful activity and that the campaign would “determine whether any corrective action is warranted.”
Election law expert Jerry Goldfeder told the publication that while the presence of invalid signatures is not uncommon, deliberate forgery can lead to legal consequences.
“Every now and again, somebody tries to cut corners, and they’re generally caught,” Goldfeder said. “Sometimes those cases are referred to the district attorney or the U.S. attorney, and there are prosecutions.”
The news comes as the city remains tense following a deadly mass shooting on Monday that left four people dead at a midtown Manhattan office building. Among the victims were off-duty NYPD officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne, and building manager Julia Hyman.
Adams implores residents to seek support
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Adams administration has urged residents to seek support from mental health services. Meanwhile, Mamdani has walked back his past criticism of the NYPD, stating that his earlier calls to defund the force no longer reflect his views.
“I’m not defunding the police,” Mamdani said on Wednesday. “I’m not running to defund the police. I am running as a candidate who is not fixed in time, one that learns and one that leads.”
New York City voters will cast their ballots in the mayoral election on 4 November.
