Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral term will begin with a swearing-in at this fitting, but unusual, location

"New York law spells out that four-year mayoral terms start on the January 1 after elections. To avoid any ambiguity about who's in charge of America's most populous city, it has become a tradition to hold a small midnight swearing-in. Mamdani has chosen as the site of his midnight oath the Old City Hall subway stop, which was decommissioned in the middle of the previous century and is accessible only a few times a year through guided tours."

"The democratic socialist's plans for his first day in office on Thursday nod to his politics and priorities, without straying far from his predecessors with a sober official midnight oath-taking followed by a more celebratory ceremony in the afternoon. Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state lawmaker, promised a freeze on rents and free buses and childcare, building a campaign around affordability issues that some have seen as a path forward for his Democratic Party around the country ahead of midterm elections."

"Mamdani inspired a record-breaking turnout of more than 2 million voters and took 50 percent, nearly 10 points ahead of Andrew Cuomo running as an independent and well ahead of Republican Curtis Sliwa. New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who was among Mamdani's earliest prominent backers, was to administer the midnight oath to Mamdani. The Trump administration has targeted James during his second term, accusing her of mortgage fraud."

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state lawmaker and democratic socialist, won New York's mayoralty with over 2 million votes and 50 percent support. He will take a formal midnight oath at the decommissioned Old City Hall subway stop and a celebratory afternoon ceremony to mark the start of his four-year term on January 1. His campaign prioritized affordability, promising rent freezes, free buses, and childcare. Mamdani's transition team said the subway site symbolizes commitment to working people. New York Attorney General Letitia James, an early backer, will administer the midnight oath amid her high-profile investigations and political scrutiny.

Read at Fast Company