Can Mamdani be removed as NYC mayor? Trump ally Stefanik's gubernatorial bid triggers buzz

US House representative and a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, Elise Stefanik, has formally entered the New York gubernatorial race against the state’s current Governor, Kathy Hochul. On Friday, Stefanik announced her candidacy, which many see as a way to remove New York City’s newly elected Mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

If Stefanik manages to win the 2026 elections against Hochul, she will be able to use a rare gubernatorial power to remove Mamdani. On Tuesday, voters elected New York City’s first South Asian Mayor. It is pertinent to note that Mamdani was endorsed by Hochul during the race against New York’s former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Soon after his win, Stefanik has repeatedly slammed Hochul for her endorsement and Mamdani for his values, calling him an “Antisemite, Jihadist, Communist.” Hence, the possibility of Stefanik, a Republican, defeating Hochul in New York’s 2026 gubernatorial race has prompted new scrutiny over the governor’s legal authority to remove elected city officials.

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Can Stefanik remove Mamdani?

While the mechanism has been dormant for decades, it has the potential to change the balance of political power in New York and NYC, the nation’s largest city. Under the New York state constitution, the governor possesses the authority to remove the mayor and other local officials from office.

“The mayor may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defence,” the NYC charter says. “Pending the preparation and disposition of charges, the governor may suspend the mayor for a period not exceeding thirty days.”

While this grants broad executive discretion, it also requires a formal legal process—including the lodging of charges, the serving of those charges to the official in question, and an opportunity for the mayor to respond and present a defence, including cross-examining witnesses under oath.

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On paper, the process is not limited to specific categories of misconduct but has traditionally been reserved only for actions deemed “official misconduct or violation of public trust, or one that involves moral turpitude”. Interestingly, a judge cannot overturn the governor’s decision, according to Politico.

In case a mayor is removed, the city could be required to hold a special election within 90 days, depending on the timing of the removal and the provisions of the city charter. According to the polling conducted by the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, in late October 2025, Stefanik holds a slight edge over Hochul, with 43 per cent of polltakers supporting Stefanik and 42 per cent backing Hochul. It will be interesting to see how the race will play out.