Zohran Mamdani to be sworn in as NYC mayor by Bernie Sanders and Letitia James
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will take the oath at midnight on New Year's Eve, then be sworn in publicly by Bernie Sanders on January 1.
December 22, 2025 - 12:40 PM ET • 2 min read
Zohran Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City's 112th mayor in a two-part ceremony spanning New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, his transition team announced Monday.
Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office to the mayor-elect at midnight on January 1, in a private event with Mamdani's family present. Later that afternoon, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will swear in Mamdani during a public inauguration ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. on the steps of City Hall.
The public ceremony will be open to all New Yorkers and will include a traditional swearing-in alongside City Comptroller-elect Mark Levine and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Following the formal proceedings, an inaugural block party will be held along Broadway's "Canyon of Heroes" in Lower Manhattan.
Mamdani, a Brooklyn native, expressed his appreciation for both officials in a statement. "It is an honor to be sworn in by two leaders I have admired for years: Attorney General Tish James and Senator Bernie Sanders," he said. The mayor-elect invited all New Yorkers to attend the inaugural celebration.
Sanders, who represents Vermont in the U.S. Senate, will return to New York City for the Inauguration Day events. The transition team characterized the inauguration as reflecting the priorities of Mamdani's incoming administration.
The dual swearing-in marks an unconventional approach to the traditional mayoral inauguration ceremony, with the private midnight oath followed by the public afternoon event featuring Sanders.