(NewsNation) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called the New York City ballot a “scam” because some mayoral candidates appear on it twice — but there is a good reason for the layout.
Musk, who endorsed independent Andrew Cuomo, pointed out that Democrat Zohran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa‘s names appear as options twice, while his preferred candidate is listed once and is “last in the bottom right.”
The two mainstream party candidates appear twice because they’re endorsed by multiple parties.
Mamdani appears under both Democratic and Working Families party lines, and Sliwa is listed by Republican and Protect Animals.
Cuomo, who was endorsed by only the Fight and Deliver party, in turn, appears once. As an independent, his name is placed after the major parties.
Even if a voter were to fill in a candidate’s name under both of his endorsed parties, it wouldn’t count as more than one vote — it would just risk confusing the tabulator.